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What Every Parent Should Know About Their Child’s Health Insurance

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From playground scrapes to classroom germs, doctor visits play a key role in keeping your child healthy. Your health insurance plan can help keep those visits affordable and accessible. As parents and guardians, you know your child best and are an advocate for their health and wellness. Knowing where to find quality doctors and understanding what benefits your chil­d is eligible for will help you find the best care for your children so they can grow up strong, healthy and happy.

What’s Covered in My Child’s Health Insurance Plan? 

Not all insurance plans cover the same things. It's important to think about what plan works best for you and your family. Primary care services will always be covered under your child's insurance plan. This includes wellness/preventive screenings and treatment for certain illnesses and injuries. Remember to ask whether your doctor is in your insurance company’s network as the cost of these visits will vary. Vaccinations are another important service that is typically covered by your health plan, and many are free. Make sure you’re making time to speak with your child’s physician to see what vaccines are best for them.

The top immunizations the CDC recommends for children and adolescents are:

  • Flu- Influenza (flu) is a very contagious viral infection that affects the air passages of the lungs.
  • Chickenpox- Chickenpox is a highly infectious disease that usually occurs during childhood.
  • MMR - Measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) is a childhood combination vaccine against mumps, measles, and rubella.
  • HPV- Human papillomavirus (HPV) refers to a vast family of viruses that can lead to cancer or wart-like growths called papilloma.
  • Tdap (Tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis)
    • Tetanus is a central nervous system condition that can be lethal. It is brought on by a poison (toxin) that the tetanus bacteria produces.
    • Diphtheria is a highly contagious bacterial disease causing inflammation of the mucousmembranes, and potentially fatal heart and nerve damage. It is now rare in developed countries because of immunization.
    • Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, has unfortunately had a resurgence as fewer children have been vaccinated. It can cause uncontrollable, violent coughing that makes it hard to breathe, eat, or drink. Pertussis can be extremely serious, especially in babies and young children, causing pneumonia, convulsions, brain damage, or death.
  • COVID-19 - COVID-19 vaccines are recommended for everyone ages 6 months and older, and boosters for everyone ages 5 years and older.
Knowing what care options are covered under your child’s plan allows you to best keep your child healthy, happy, and growing up strong. If you’re an Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield member, you have access to case managers who can help manage your family’s care, and help you find what services are available to you as you navigate your child’s healthcare.

We’re Here To Help 

 We’ve been taking good care of Arkansans for over 70 years, providing affordable, reliable health insurance to keep you and your family healthy. Our whole person approach to healthcare recognizes that many factors impact your child’s physical and mental health. Both these elements of your whole person health can even impact each other. Understanding this allows us to better address the root causes of health issues and develop programs that can make a difference. In addition to investing in programs that support all Arkansans, we’re also here to support your family’s health needs so that you can Take Good Care of yourself, your family, and your community.
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