Yesterday, I posted the first 3 tips for shopping for child health plans if your child has a pre-existing condition.  Today I’m posting the last three tips.  

4. Comparison shop for plans: The internet makes it incredibly easy to compare health insurance products for your child side-by-side. The initial open enrollment period runs for 60 days, from January 1, through March 1, 2011. Going forward, California will also have an annual enrollment period for these plans that coincides with the child’s birthday month. Take advantage of that time and comparison shop for child-only health insurance plans.

Be sure to pay attention to monthly premiums, annual deductibles, co-pays, coinsurance rates, and prescription drug costs. Each of these elements may change, depending on the plan you enroll your child in so be certain that you understand what they mean and how they’ll impact the plan you choose.

5. Talk to an expert for free: The price of California individual health insurance plans are fixed by law, so a licensed agent or broker cannot legally charge you more money to enroll your child in a plan. If you need additional help or guidance, take advantage of the assistance provided by a knowledgeable licensed health insurance agent who represents a number of different carriers.

An agent with an unbiased perspective can help you compare coverage options dispassionately and pick the best plan to fit your needs. eHealthInsurance.com is the leading online provider of individual health insurance plans available in the nation, and full-time eHealthInsurance employees who are licensed health insurance agents are available to answer questions.

6. Mix and Match: Depending on health conditions, it may be less expensive for healthy children or other family members to be on health insurance plans other than an employer-sponsored plan. A November survey by the consulting firm Mercer5 found that one-in-five (20%) small employers plan to drop their group health coverage due to new health care reform legislation. In some cases employers have already stopped offering group coverage, or stopped covering the cost of coverage for dependent adults and or children.

And if after reading this you still have questions, post it in the comments section and we’ll do our best to answer you. If you’d like to speak to an agent immediately, please call our customer care center in California: 1 800 977 8860.