Welcoming a new child to your family through birth, adoption or marriage can be an exciting ride. One stop you may not have planned for? Applying for health insurance.
Between doctor’s visits and paperwork, it can be easy to put health insurance on the back burner. But you may only have a limited time to add your child to your health plan. Knowing when to act and what you’ll need to get started can help you and your family stay covered.
Understand your enrollment timeline
Growing your family may give you the chance to update your health insurance outside of the normal enrollment period. This is called a Special Enrollment Period.
How long you have depends on your plan. Here’s a guide:1
- ACA Marketplace plans: You generally have 60 days from the event to update your coverage.
- Job-based plans: Your employer must give you at least 30 days to make changes.
- Medicaid or Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP): You can apply at any time. There’s no deadline.
If you’re adding a newborn to your health insurance plan, enroll as soon as you can. Your coverage can start on the day your baby is born. This is true even if you enroll up to 60 days later.2
Need temporary health insurance coverage outside of the annual ACA Open Enrollment Period? Explore if a short term health insurance plan may fit your needs.
How to enroll your child in your health insurance plan
This process varies by plan. In most cases, you’ll contact your employer, benefits administrator or health insurance company to let them know you’ve added a new child to your family. They’ll walk you through the next steps.
You’ll likely need documents to prove your child is eligible. Depending on your situation, that may include:3
- A birth certificate or certificate of live birth
- Adoption paperwork
- Court documents that show custody or placement
- Documents that show your relationship to your stepchild
Check with your plan before you start since requirements vary.
Once you’ve enrolled your child, review your confirmation materials. Be sure to:
- Make sure your child’s name is on the policy.
- Check the effective date of coverage.
- Keep copies of your enrollment documents.
Staying on top of these details can help make sure you have the correct coverage in place. It can also help you resolve any questions later.
Which parent’s health insurance plan is the better choice?
If both parents have health insurance, you may have a choice about which plan covers your child. Taking time to compare the plans before you enroll can help you find the plan that works for your family and budget.
Start with the provider network. Check whether your child’s pediatrician, preferred hospital and any specialists your child may need participate in the plan’s network. Getting care outside the network may cost more.
Next, look at the coverage itself. Compare the services, prescription drugs and benefits each plan covers. If your child has ongoing health needs, make sure the plan covers their care and medicines.
Cost is another important part of the comparison. Don’t look only at the monthly premium. For each plan, be sure to review the:
- Deductible
- Copays
- Coinsurance
- Out-of-pocket maximum
Looking at these costs together can give you a clearer picture of the total cost for your family over the course of a year — not just from month to month.
Missed your enrollment window and don’t qualify for a Special Enrollment Period? Learn how short term health insurance can help provide temporary coverage until your next chance to enroll.
Does adding a child to my health insurance plan affect the price?
Adding a child usually increases your monthly premium, but it may depend on your plan. It may affect your other costs, too.4
When comparing plans, it’s important to answer these questions:
- What will you pay each month?
- How much will you pay when someone in your family needs care?
A plan with a lower premium may not be the least expensive option overall.
Your plan’s Summary of Benefits and Coverage can help you compare these costs. If you have job-based coverage, ask your benefits administrator how adding a child will change your premium and other costs.
What happens if you miss the enrollment window?
If you miss your Special Enrollment Period, you may have to wait. The next chance to enroll your child is usually the annual ACA Open Enrollment Period.
Waiting can leave you with a gap in health coverage. Depending on where you live, you may have other options, such as short term health insurance or extended short term health insurance. Short term health insurance and extended short term health insurance are limited duration plans designed to help fill a gap between major medical insurance policies.
It is important to know that short term health plans and extended short term health plans are not comprehensive health coverage and do not meet the minimum essential coverage (MEC) standards of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). They are also subject to medical underwriting.
Review any plan carefully before you choose it. Check what services are covered and any limits that could affect your family.
Need support finding the health insurance plan that fits your family’s needs? Call 1-844-211-7730 to speak with a licensed insurance agent or browse plans online now.
Frequently asked questions
How long do I have to add a newborn or stepchild to my health insurance plan?
You generally have about 60 days to add a new child to an ACA Marketplace plan.1 Job-based plans give you at least 30 days. This window opens the moment your child joins your family. That includes birth, adoption or marriage. Medicaid and CHIP don’t have a deadline. You can enroll any time. There’s a perk for newborns, too. As long as you enroll within the window, coverage can be backdated to their birth date. That means no gap right after delivery.
Does a mother’s maternity coverage automatically include a newborn?
No. A federal law called the Newborns’ and Mothers’ Health Protection Act requires certain health plans to cover a 48-hour hospital stay for new moms and their babies.7 But that law doesn’t add your baby to your health insurance plan for you. You still need to enroll your child yourself. Do this as soon as you can during your Special Enrollment Period to be sure your baby has coverage.
Until what age can my child stay on my health insurance plan?
In most cases, your child can stay on your health insurance plan until they turn 26.8 This applies regardless of whether they’re a student, married or working full time. It doesn’t matter if they have their own job-based coverage available or live outside your home. Once your child turns 26, however, they’ll need to find their own health insurance. Turning 26 counts as a qualifying life event, which opens a Special Enrollment Period so they can enroll in a new plan.
What health insurance options do young adults have after turning 26?
Turning 26 opens a Special Enrollment Period for most young adults.9 They can enroll in a job-based plan if one is available to them. They can also shop for their own ACA Marketplace plan. Depending on where they live, short term health insurance or extended short term health insurance may be another, temporary, option. Comparing plans early can help young adults avoid a gap in coverage right after they age off a parent’s plan.
What happens if I miss the 60-day deadline to add my child to my plan?
If you miss the 60-day window, you’ll typically have to wait for the next yearly ACA Open Enrollment Period to add your child.5 Ask your employer or plan administrator if you qualify for any other special enrollment exceptions. If you’re facing a longer gap, you may want to consider short term health insurance or extended short term health insurance if it’s available where you live. Again, it is important to remember that short term health insurance and extended short term health plans are limited duration plans designed to help fill a gap between major medical insurance policies. They do not provide comprehensive health coverage and do not meet the minimum essential coverage (MEC) standards of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), and are subject to medical underwriting.
For informational purposes only. This information is compiled by UnitedHealthcare, and/or one of its affiliates, and does not diagnose problems or recommend specific treatment. Services and medical technologies referenced herein may not be covered under your plan. Please consult directly with your primary care physician if you need medical advice.
Sources:
- Healthcare.gov. “Special enrollment period (SEP).” Accessed August 11, 2026. Retrieved from https://www.healthcare.gov/glossary/special-enrollment-period/
- Healthcare.gov. “Special enrollment periods.” Accessed August 11, 2026. Retrieved from https://www.healthcare.gov/coverage-outside-open-enrollment/special-enrollment-period/
- U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM). “Family members.” Accessed August 11, 2026. Retrieved from https://www.opm.gov/healthcare-insurance/healthcare/reference-materials/reference/family-members/
- Healthcare.gov. “How insurance companies set health premiums.” Accessed August 11, 2026. Retrieved from https://www.healthcare.gov/how-plans-set-your-premiums/
- UnitedHealthcare. “Health insurance for life’s
in-between moments.” Accessed August 11, 2026. Retrieved from https://www.uhone.com/health-insurance/short-term-health-insurance
- UnitedHealthcare. “Health insurance you can use now — and into the future.” Accessed August 11, 2026. Retrieved from https://www.uhone.com/health-insurance/triterm-medical-insurance
- U.S. Department of Labor Employee Benefits Security Administration. “FAQs about newborns’ and mothers’ health protection.” Accessed August 11, 2026. Retrieved from https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/EBSA/about-ebsa/our-activities/resource-center/faqs/newborns-mothers-health-protection-act-faqs.pdf
- Healthcare.gov. “How to get or stay on a parent’s plan.” Accessed August 11, 2026. Retrieved from https://www.healthcare.gov/young-adults/children-under-26/
- Healthcare.gov. “Getting your own health coverage when you turn 26.” Accessed August 11, 2026. Retrieved from https://www.healthcare.gov/turning-26/
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