Can I add my newborn to health insurance without a birth certificate?

Employer/COBRA Insurance
1

As the title says. I’m covered through my husband’s insurance and have a citizenship interview a few days after my due date. My name change should be finalized then, so I wanted to wait a month or two before filing my newborn’s birth certificate to make sure my new legal name is on it. But I’m worried about how to add my newborn to health insurance without the birth certificate. I think I only have 30 days to add her.

Thanks for any advice!

I’m in Dallas, TX.

Update: Thanks for all the advice! It seems like I should go ahead and file the birth certificate, as long as I have a paper trail for my name change, I should be fine.

3

Do you mean you’re taking your husband’s last name? If it’s just the last name, there’s no reason to wait. My maiden name was still required on my kids’ birth certificates, even though I’ve been married for years.

4

@Luca
Yeah, same here. My mom’s maiden name is on mine. It’s based on what your name was at birth.

5

@Luca
I’m actually changing my first name, not my last. I’m just worried if my new name on my child’s birth certificate will cause any issues later.

6

Lyric said:
@Luca
I’m actually changing my first name, not my last. I’m just worried if my new name on my child’s birth certificate will cause any issues later.

Stick to the timeline. You’ll regret it if you don’t, especially when dealing with stuff like social security later on.

7

Your birth name usually goes on the birth certificate anyway. Waiting doesn’t make much sense and could cause issues.

8

Vance said:
Your birth name usually goes on the birth certificate anyway. Waiting doesn’t make much sense and could cause issues.

Really? So even with a legal name change, I still have to put my birth name on my child’s certificate?

9

@Lyric
I’m not totally sure, but I wouldn’t wait. The birth certificate is important, and having your old name on it won’t cause problems. Also, I didn’t realize immigration could handle legal name changes like that. I thought you’d have to go through court, except for the usual name change after marriage.

10

@Vance
Citizenship is my chance to change my legal name without extra fees, so I’m trying to use this opportunity. But my overthinking makes me wonder if having a different name on the birth certificate will make things harder to prove later.

11

@Lyric
You’ll be fine. People change their names all the time. Birth certificates aren’t often used as legal documents, and if needed, you’ll have proof of the name change.

12

Jem said:
@Lyric
You’ll be fine. People change their names all the time. Birth certificates aren’t often used as legal documents, and if needed, you’ll have proof of the name change.

Thanks, that helps a lot!

13

@Lyric
It won’t be a problem. First, no one really checks. Second, you’ll have documentation. I kept my birth name when I got married and have a different last name than my kids. Never had any issues.

14

Vance said:
@Lyric
It won’t be a problem. First, no one really checks. Second, you’ll have documentation. I kept my birth name when I got married and have a different last name than my kids. Never had any issues.

Thanks for the reassurance!

15

Your maiden name will always be on the birth certificate. Just make sure to add the baby within 30 days.

16

My husband’s insurance wouldn’t add our daughter without a birth certificate.

17

Haven said:
My husband’s insurance wouldn’t add our daughter without a birth certificate.

Oh no, thanks for the heads up.

18

Lyric said:

Haven said:
My husband’s insurance wouldn’t add our daughter without a birth certificate.

Oh no, thanks for the heads up.

It makes sense, though. They need proof of who the person is and why they should be added.

19

@Haven
True. I was hoping they’d accept some hospital records instead, but I guess it’s not worth the hassle. I’ll just file for the birth certificate.

20

In some places, a picture of the little unofficial certificate from the hospital might be enough to get the baby added initially. But you’d still need the birth certificate later, and it takes a while to get it, so don’t wait too long.

21

@Ray
Do you know if insurance will want the info to match on both the unofficial and official certificates? If names change later, would that be a problem?