In the past several decades, laws regulating adopted child health insurance have improved dramatically. Adopted children are now afforded nearly all of the same protections as other children. However, picking the right child health insurance policy can still be very difficult for adopting parents, especially if they aren't aware of their rights.

The good news is that an adopted child is protected by the same state and federal laws as a newborn child, so a parent can often get guaranteed coverage by contacting their insurance companies within the first 30 days after adoption. This is especially true for employer-sponsored health insurance plans. In these cases, insurance companies may be restricted from using the health histories of adopted children to set policy premiums on an adopted child health insurance policy. Likewise, preexisting conditions may be ignored by law. However, coverage for adopted children is not automatic. Parents will still need to contact their insurance companies and inform them of the adoption. Insurance companies will typically need the adopted child's social security number and other info in order to provide permanent coverage. This coverage will typically be under the same terms as the parents' coverage. Insurance companies can't enact a waiting period for coverage due to preexisting conditions for children under 18. HIPAA and COBRA also extend lapse in coverage protections to adopted children, so a parent can keep coverage active in between jobs.

Parents who buy individual health insurance policies should look at a few insurance quotes after adopting a child, as the best insurance company for a single person or couple might not have the best insurance products for a family. It's important to note that individual health insurance policies are only regulated on the state level (pending major changes in legislation that will take effect over the next several years), and an insurance company may have high premiums for an adopted child under an individual child health insurance policy in certain states. When this is the case, it's especially important to look at quotes to find the best possible rates.

New parents will need to consider the premiums, coverage levels and co-payments of potential health insurance policies carefully. Children will usually need minor medical treatments such as vaccinations and antibiotics on a regular basis, so a comprehensive, protective health insurance plan is preferable to a bare-bones plan, especially for younger children. New adoptive parents should know their rates and stay in contact with their insurance agents during the adoption process. Looking at all potential health insurance options and knowing how state and federal laws protect adopted children is essential to finding proper coverage.