Kid-only insurance becomes law

Morris News Service - ATLANTA – Georgians who want - or can only afford - to provide health insurance for just their children will be able to do so under legislation Gov. Nathan Deal signed into law Tuesday. House Bill 1166, sponsored by Rep. Alex Atwood, R-Brunswick, requires companies selling health insurance in the state to offer plans that only cover children.
"We now have a voluntary, low-cost insurance option available to hard-working Georgians that will allow them to protect their children," Atwood said. There are nearly a quarter-million uninsured children in the state, according to Georgians for a Healthy Future, part of the coalition that lobbied for the new law. Child-only plans had been available in Georgia until passage of federal health reform in 2010. Atwood said companies stopped offering it because the federal reform will require them to cover every child regardless of the health or existing medical conditions. The companies feared parents would wait to seek coverage until their child needed costly treatment. Atwood sought to prevent parents from buying coverage only when they expect a huge expense by limiting sales to "open enrollment" periods.

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