Can I buy health insurance for someone else? Consumer Q&A

Can you buy health insurance for a family member if you?re not that person?s parent?

It?s not a question we see often on Yahoo Answers, but we do see it sometimes. Usually, it comes from adult children with uninsured older parents that they want to add to their health insurance policy.

Last week, however, we took a question from a young man, 21 years old, who just got a new job and wants to add his little brothers to his company health plan. He explains that he is the primary provider for his younger brothers, and that their father is not a part of their life.

I tell you, sometimes you just want to reach through the computer screen and shake the other guy?s hand and give him a trophy.

Some things, however, get complicated. The eHealthInsurance reply was voted Best Answer:

You can?t cover them on your employer-based health insurance plan unless you are their adopted father or legal guardian. However, you can look into the availability of child-only health insurance coverage in your area. Depending on which state you live in, there may be some affordable options. Even if you can?t get them covered under your own plan, you can help them pay for coverage.

Work with a licensed agent in your area or online to get quotes and compare plan options. It doesn?t cost anything extra to work with an agent and it can really help. An agent can also help you understand whether or not you?ll have to wait for a special enrollment period, which is the only time, in some states, when child-only plans are available.

To learn more about child-only health insurance options, check out the blog post we published on the subject here.

Kudos for being a caring big brother! Best wishes to you all.

Image by Flickr user DorkyMum

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Source: http://blog.ehealthinsurance.com/2012/10/can-i-buy-health-insurance-for-someone-else-consumer-qa-2/

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