Medicare Benefits For Our Children

[lalalisa]

Hello,

I am 19 weeks pregnant and trying to figure out how my husband and I are going to cover our new child as far as health insurance. I am on Medicare and hear that there are Medicare benefits available for children. Do any of you have any experiences with this? Could you tell me how to find out more information?

Thanks so much!

Lisa

[goldicedance]

Hi, Lisa:

Check out: http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/10043.html#part3

This should help answer your question if not contact your local SSA office for the definitive answer.

Lois

[lalalisa]

Thanks Lois,

I guess they don't qualify.

Hope you have a great day,

Lisa

[ArmyMom46]

You might also check with your local Department of Human Services and ask about Medicaid.

[Rachel]

If you have enough work credits, then your dependents also qualify for a Social Security check each month. You can call Social Security to see if your child will qualify. I don't think it is something that happens automatically. I don't know exactly how it all works. Someone at Social Security told me to call after my child was born to see if he could also get a monthy check. I called, but I didn't have enough work credits for my son to qualify. I barely had enough to qualify myself.

Wish I could be more help. All I know is that there are benefits in the form of a check for some children of disabled parents.

Rachel

[taylortotmom]

If you have enough work credits, then your dependents also qualify for a Social Security check each month. You can call Social Security to see if your child will qualify. I don't think it is something that happens automatically. I don't know exactly how it all works. Someone at Social Security told me to call after my child was born to see if he could also get a monthy check. I called, but I didn't have enough work credits for my son to qualify. I barely had enough to qualify myself.

Wish I could be more help. All I know is that there are benefits in the form of a check for some children of disabled parents.

Rachel

Just to clarify about the parent and child benefits:

They do not give you more money they split the amount you are entitled to among parent and children. For example, if you qualify for $900/month and have two minor children you will get $700 for yourself and $100 for each child a month in three separate payments. However, this does not mean the children will get MEDICARE. That's a whole different ballpark.

Carmen

[DancingLight]

Lisa,

I don't know much about this at all...but have you also tried your County Assistance Office?

For instance, I didn't work long enough before I got sick to qualify for SSDI or Medicare.

After I could no longer COBRA off of my parents insurance I was able to get Medicaid, even though I had not yet applied for SSI benefits.

Medical Assistance is need-based, but I don't know how it works with children...probably has to do with household income/poverty level, number of ppl in the household, etc.

It gets confusing b/c the Federal and State and County aid programs all vary. There are often special programs specifically for children.

Hope this helps...

Emily