Can I get health/dental coverage for my stepson?!
Question:
Can I get health/dental coverage for my stepson?
His father had coverage on him, but his ex-wife moved out of state and couldn't use the insurance, so she said she would cover him. That was less than two weeks ago, he's been covered by his dad since the day he was born. Well, we've got him this summer and he told me the other day that he has never seen a dentist! He'll be 8 tomorrow!
My husband just started a new job and he won't be able to get health/dental insurance for 90 days. I've got coverage at my job, it's a lot better than my husbands, and cheaper per week. I was just wondering if I would be able to add him to my insurance so he can see a dentist in our state while he's here visiting.
Answers:
Some insurances will cover out-of-state. Are you absolutely sure your step-son wouldn't be covered when he came to visit you? I would call his insurance company to find out.
Starting your step-son on a new policy may not be that hard to sign him up, you have to check with your employer to see how often they allow you to add/take off someone from your policy. Some policies allow changes only once a year.
Some insurance companies also (once your step-son is enrolled) may have a 6 month waiting period before anything other than a cleaning can be done. Find out all these things before you enroll him. It may be easier this year to pay out-of-pocket and then enroll him next year especially if he ends up not needing a lot of work to be done (you may be paying more for the policy than just paying for a few procedures).
Unfortunately some people don't go to the dentist until they have a problem, which creates a vicious cycle... you are doing a good thing by taking your step-son now and instilling good habits. It may mean the difference in him having all his teeth when he gets older.