Changes for Children and Youths Upon Which Parents Should Focus 

“Healthy Montana Kids” Remains an Important Option

Healthy Montana Kids remains a good option for children who qualify.  The program’s maximum income requirement is currently 250 percent of the federal poverty level.  Learn more at www.hmk.mt.gov.  BCBSMT is a proud partner of the HMK program, which is Montana’s version of the national Child Health Insurance Program (CHIP).  Beacuse of controbutions made by the BCBSMT Caring Foundation, the HMK dental program was expanded significantly to allow for a much-improved dental benefit and greater access to dental care for HMK-enrolled children.

Children Allowed to Stay on their Parents’ Health Care Plan Until Age 26

For plan years starting on or after September 23, 2010, an adult child (married or unmarried) can stay or enroll on the parents’ insurance policy until the child turns 26 years old.  Grandfathered group health plans have the option, until 2014, to deny coverage to an adult child if that child is eligible for other group coverage (e.g., group coverage provided by the adult child’s employer). Current Montana law requires coverage for an unmarried dependent until age 25, so an additional year of coverage is afforded by the health care reform laws as long as the child otherwise qualifies under the law.

No Preexisting Condition Exclusion for Children Under Age 19

For plan years beginning on and after September 23, 2010, individual plans and group health plans (fully insured and self-insured) are not allowed to impose exclusions or deny coverage to children under age 19 who have preexisting conditions.  Individual plans that are Grandfathered under the health care reform laws may still impose exclusions or deny coverage to children under 19 with preexisting conditions.