Who Can I Add To My Health Insurance?
Having dependents on your income could be a burden, especially with their health checkups. Find out how you can add dependents to your health insurance plan to keep healthcare costs low.
Treatment for health issues can be expensive in the country; thus, many people opt for health insurance plans.
A typical health insurance plan covers:
- Medical expenses
- Injuries and treatments
- Routine checkups
- Hospital visits
Usually, employers have their employees in on a health insurance plan; any injuries were to happen during work. Such policies cover for employees and provide them with financial assistance at the time of unfortunate incidents.
The coverage is usually for the policyholder or the particular employee, but can they add more people to their health insurance plan? Maybe a spouse or a beneficiary? Let’s find out.
Can I add a Parent to my Health Insurance?
Adding a parent to your health insurance policy is possible if your health insurer allows parents as dependents. The plan will be cross-checked if your parent falls under the eligibility criteria, depending on the type of policy covering you.
However, some policies don’t allow you to add parents to your health insurance plan, so you will likely have to purchase separate plans. Some health insurance policies are specifically designed for older people and that too at the cost of paying very affordable premiums. Shop around and look for suitable health insurance plans that cover your parents.
In majority terms, adding a parent to your health insurance policy is not possible, only a few insurers may allow you to do that if their plan is flexible enough.
On the other hand, a non-dependent child health insurance is given to children if they’re under the age of 26 on their parent’s plan.
Can I add my boyfriend to my Health Insurance?
Some policies, especially those covered by an employer, do NOT allow domestic partners covered under the policy. Since you and your boyfriend don’t have any financial or legal obligations, insurance companies don’t allow having boyfriends or girlfriends attached to the system.
However, many States offer domestic partner health benefits. All you need to do is inform your insurance company about your relationship status. They may be able to alter the policy for you or even give you better domestic partner insurance options.
The criteria for this is usually:
- You and your domestic partner must have at least lived six months together and plan on living later too
- A shared financial responsibility
- Domestic partners can’t be a close blood relative.
- You can’t marry someone else.
If your partner doesn’t have another form of coverage through their job or some other source, you can talk to your employer and see if they can attach your partner. In most cases, this works, you need to be upfront about your living status to see which options are available to you.
Can I add my brother to my Health Insurance?
If your sibling isn’t covered under health insurance, it could be a real problem. Any accident or mishap could cost you an irrecoverable amount of money for treatments and hospital bills. In such a case, thinking of adding your brother or sister to your health insurance plan seems like the best deal. But is it possible?
You can have your sibling qualify as ‘dependent,’ meaning when you file for taxes, you have your sibling counted as a dependent. Your siblings should be under the age of 24 if they’re going to college, but if they’re completely disabled, they are eligible under the criteria.
Other things matter too when you have your sibling in on your health insurance plan. You have to check with your insurance company to see what programs would cover your siblings.
Can I add my niece to my Health Insurance?
Health insurance is usually added to your policy if the dependent has blood relation with you; your parents, children, siblings. Having a niece or nephew attached to your health insurance plan is usually not possible, and if it is, the process is quite complicated.
If your sister is alive and doesn’t have health insurance and requests you to add her children, that’s not allowed. It would be best if you were the child’s legal guardian for the process even to start.
Your health insurance plan will define and set out specific criteria for who can be part of your dependents’ list, and chances are your niece and nephew aren’t going to be on it. But if your case is not an ordinary one, you can contact your insurance company to see if your niece or nephew can be attached to your health insurance plan.
Can I add my Girlfriend’s Child to my Health Insurance?
If you plan on marrying your girlfriend any time soon and has a child, you will have to think about their health insurance needs. Adding your girlfriend’s child to your plan isn’t that easy, but it isn’t impossible.
You will have to sign an affidavit, submit some documents, and prove your relationship too. The best way to do so is to contact the HR of your company and ask them what benefits your girlfriend’s child receives on your plan, and if that’s even possible. Don’t hide the truth because if any misleading information is later on exposed, you could lose the whole insurance.
Conclusion
Having various dependents on your health insurance plan is possible, but if your employer pays for each of those, you should contact your company and see what the policy allows.
You can add or remove dependents during the policy; all you have to do is inform the company if you’re removing a dependent because they have found health insurance from another source, or if you’re adding someone because now they’re financially dependent on you.
Health expenses are not affordable for most people in the country, so you should get yourself a health insurance plan and see if it can fit a couple of your dependents.