Children, by their very nature, are more prone to scrapes, bumps, and bruises; not to mention, colds and runny noses. Without the proper medical insurance, trips to the doctor’s office and the bills that accumulate, add up quickly. Many insurance carriers offer specialized health insurance for kids. These specific policies may even be added to your existing family medical insurance plans, generally at a reasonable cost.

Many of these children’s health insurance policies offer lower co-pays. This translates to less money out of your pocket if you have to make an emergency trip to the doctor or dentist. To be safe, make sure that your kid’s insurance plans cover:

• Prescriptions – young children are still developing their immune systems, and as a result, most doctors’ visits will end with a trip to the pharmacy to pick up antibiotics or other medication. Having prescription coverage available with your kids health insurance plan will significantly decrease costs that you could potentially be responsible for.
• Dental – children, more than adults, need regular dental checkups, cleanings and fluoride treatment. By choosing a plan for your children that includes dental insurance, you can offset some of the expenses associated with regular cleanings and checkups. Not to mention unexpected dental emergencies that could occur as a result of your child having an accident on the playground, in the yard, or at school.
• Hospitalization – quite often, procedures that require a brief stay in the hospital occur when a child is under the age of 18, thus eligible for children’s health insurance. And of course, it’s imperative that your insurance cover neonatal hospitalizations that might be necessary after delivering your child.
• Optometry/Vision – As children are growing, it’s important to take them for regular visits to the optometrist to ensure their eyes are in check and no serious eye conditions are present. These costs can add up quickly, so make sure that your insurance will cover it. Most insurance for kids will cover basic eye exams as well as a portion of glasses, frames or contact lenses.

As any parent can attest to, the cost of raising kids is expensive. Don’t pay more than you have to for medical bills because your children are not covered under a health insurance plan. Obtaining insurance coverage for your kids is simple and should be done as soon as possible.

Jennifer Hrycyk is the marketing manager of TheHealthQuote.com, a leader in providing kids health insurance quotes. She has years of experience with the healthcare industry and is constantly analyzing the latest trends, in order to get her clients the best health insurance quote possible. Visit TheHealthQuote.com to compare quotes on family insurance plans.