All You Need to Know About Medical Coverage
Child guardianship entails a great deal of responsibility and accountability. When an individual assumes the responsibility of obtaining legal guardianship of a minor, there are many concerns, considerations, and worries that the legal guardian may experience. If authorized by the court, the individual who has petitioned for the rights to child guardianship of a minor will be required to provide the child with all of the necessities that are necessary for survival. This includes food, shelter, clothing, and medical care.
One of the primary responsibilities of an individual who has undertaken the guardianship of a minor is to provide that child with healthcare and access to doctors and medical care if they need it. Medical care can be extremely expensive if medical coverage is lacking, and a guardian should never withhold medical treatment due to a lack of medical coverage.
When the responsibility of the guardianship of a minor is taken
from the child's parents and given to another adult, the court may
decide that the parents of the child are still required to provide the child
with financial support. This may include the cost of medical care. The court
may order the parents of the child to keep the minor on their medical plan. The
parents of the child voluntarily keep the child on their medical plan, even
after child guardianship has been granted to another individual. If the parents
of the child refuse or are unable to keep the minor on their medical plan, then
the individual who has assumed child guardianship of the minor may attempt to
add the child to their own medical plan.
Many medical plans will allow an individual who has undertaken the legal guardianship of a minor to add the ward to their medical plan. However, some will not. If the individual who has assumed child guardianship is unable to add the minor to their medical plan, the child may be eligible to receive free health insurance from the State.
The State Children's Health Insurance Program is an alliance between the Federal Government and State governments and seeks to provide uninsured children with low cost health insurance. The Children's Health Insurance program provides coverage to children who need dental care, medical equipment, eye care, hospitalization, doctor visits, and prescription medication.
The program is not a welfare program, and is therefore, open to working families who do not earn enough money to pay for private insurance programs, yet make too much for Medicaid coverage. The cost to enroll in the program varies from State to State. In some instances, receiving coverage from this program may not require any fee. Even when it does require a fee, the cost is very small. A program such as this may be ideal if an individual who has assumed guardianship of a minor is unable to include the child in their medical coverage and cannot afford to change their insurance policy.
