Healthcare.gov — Adding a baby or child
Birth or adoption opens a 60-day Special Enrollment Period to add the child to your Marketplace plan — retroactive to the date of birth.
VisitCoverage & care for your kids
A new baby or kid in the house changes your insurance, your bills, and your provider needs. This page walks you through enrolling a newborn, tapping into free and low-cost programs, and finding pediatricians and hospitals that are actually in-network on your plan.
Time-sensitive: you have 60 days after birth or adoption
Add your baby to your insurance within 60 days of the birth or adoption date. Coverage is retroactive to day one — but if you miss the window, your next chance is open enrollment, and the hospital bill is on you. Call your insurer or HR the week the baby is born.
Insurance & enrollment
Marketplace, employer plan, CHIP, or Medicaid — pick the lane that fits your income and situation. Many families qualify for CHIP even when adults don't qualify for Medicaid.
Insure Kids Now (HHS) — CHIP & Medicaid by state
Find your state's Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and Medicaid for kids. Free or low-cost coverage up to age 19.
VisitMedicaid for pregnant women
Most states cover pregnancy at higher income limits than regular Medicaid — often up to 200–300% of the Federal Poverty Level.
VisitWIC — Women, Infants & Children Nutrition Program
Free formula, healthy food, breastfeeding support, and referrals for pregnant women, new moms, and kids up to age 5.
VisitVaccines for Children (VFC) Program
Free vaccines for Medicaid-eligible, uninsured, underinsured, and Native American children under 19. Offered at most pediatricians.
VisitMarketplace — Special Enrollment Period after birth
Having a baby qualifies as a 'life event.' You have 60 days to enroll or change plans without waiting for open enrollment.
VisitAssistance programs
Free formula, vaccines, lodging during hospital stays, NICU support, and postpartum mental-health resources — most parents never hear about these unless they ask.
March of Dimes — NICU Family Support
Resources, grants, and emotional support for families of premature babies or those in the NICU.
VisitHospital Charity Care (your hospital's website)
Non-profit hospitals are required to offer free or discounted care for low-to-mid income families. Maternity and NICU bills often qualify.
VisitFamily-to-Family Health Information Centers
Free help from other parents who've navigated insurance and special-needs care in every state.
VisitChildren's Special Health Care Services (state programs)
Every state has a Title V program providing care coordination and financial help for kids with chronic conditions.
VisitRonald McDonald House Charities
Free or low-cost lodging for families with a child receiving treatment far from home.
VisitPostpartum Support International
Free helpline (1-800-944-4773), provider directory, and support groups for postpartum mental health.
VisitFinding the best providers in your area
Pediatricians, OB-GYNs, and delivery hospitals — the right combination of in-network + quality-rated saves you thousands and improves outcomes.
Healthcare.gov — Find local help
Free in-person navigators and brokers who can compare plans by which pediatricians and hospitals are in-network.
VisitAmerican Academy of Pediatrics — Find a Pediatrician
Search board-certified pediatricians by location. Always cross-check the doctor against your insurance directory.
VisitACOG — Find an OB-GYN
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists official 'find a doctor' tool.
VisitMedicare.gov — Hospital Compare (works for any family)
Compare maternity outcomes, C-section rates, infection rates, and patient ratings at hospitals near you.
VisitLeapfrog Hospital Safety Grades
Independent A–F safety grades. Useful when choosing a delivery hospital.
VisitYour insurer's provider directory
ALWAYS confirm a doctor or hospital is in-network on your specific plan — not just on the carrier's general list. Document the date and name of the person you spoke with.
VisitChecklist: avoid surprise newborn bills
- Confirm your delivery hospital AND OB-GYN are both in-network on your specific plan — get the rep's name and reference number.
- Ask which anesthesiologist group covers the L&D unit — they're a top cause of surprise bills.
- Pre-register the baby with your insurer the week of birth.
- Choose a pediatrician before discharge — the hospital will ask for one and they must be in-network.
- If the NICU is needed, ask the hospital's financial counselor about Charity Care on day one.
- Request an itemized bill (not a summary) — newborn bills frequently contain duplicate or wrong codes. Use the code lookup tool to decode it.
- If anything looks wrong, you're protected by the No Surprises Act.
Tell the advocate your state, insurance plan, and child's age — it can shortlist in-network pediatricians, point you to the right CHIP/Medicaid program, and check whether you qualify for WIC or hospital Charity Care.
Get help for my family