Lyric said:
@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?
You’ll get a court order for your name change, so just submit that with the birth certificate to explain the difference.
Lyric said:
@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?
It’s a good idea to keep a certified copy of your name change, just in case you ever need to prove you’re the same person as on the birth certificate. But you won’t need it often—maybe only for things like applying for your child’s social security number.
@Cael
Thanks for the advice. My brain is just overthinking whether I’ll have trouble proving that’s my child later, with a different name on the birth certificate!
Lyric said:
@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?
That’s a good question for your insurance. But from my experience, when my youngest was born, the hospital’s unofficial certificate only had first names for me and the baby.
@Ray
I’ll definitely call them Monday. Thanks for sharing that info!
The birth certificate will have your maiden name on it, just so you know.
Kim said:
The birth certificate will have your maiden name on it, just so you know.
Thanks for letting me know. I’m changing my first name, and I’ve been worried about that causing issues when proving it’s my child.
You might miss the deadline to add your child, and that will be a headache.
Vic said:
You might miss the deadline to add your child, and that will be a headache.
That’s what I’m worried about, too. I’ll file it ASAP. Thanks for the reminder!
You can add your baby now, even without the birth certificate. Do you have a verification of birth letter?
Drew said:
You can add your baby now, even without the birth certificate. Do you have a verification of birth letter?
I’m expecting in about a week, but I’m sure the hospital will give me some kind of birth verification. I’ve just been thinking I should wait to file the certificate until my name change goes through. But my mind keeps making me worry that the different name will make it hard to prove it’s my child.
@Lyric
As a benefits broker, we add newborns all the time without birth certificates—usually, we just use the birth verification letter first and then add the birth certificate later. Just keep the proof of birth on file in case the insurance asks for it, though they rarely do. If there’s any name discrepancy, just explain it to the benefits team with the paperwork, and it should be fine.
@Drew
Thanks for the professional advice! That helps a lot.
We couldn’t leave the hospital without filling out the birth certificate paperwork, so maybe check if Texas has similar rules.
Hollis said:
We couldn’t leave the hospital without filling out the birth certificate paperwork, so maybe check if Texas has similar rules.
Really? What state are you in? I’ll call and check with my hospital tomorrow.
@Lyric
DC. We didn’t question it, so I’m not sure if it was a state rule, hospital rule, or just a strong suggestion. They just told us we had to fill everything out before discharge.
Hollis said:
@Lyric
DC. We didn’t question it, so I’m not sure if it was a state rule, hospital rule, or just a strong suggestion. They just told us we had to fill everything out before discharge.
Got it, thanks for sharing your experience!
You can add the baby now and send the birth certificate later. You’ll probably need to submit other documents like your marriage license, too. Call your insurance for details.
Finnian said:
You can add the baby now and send the birth certificate later. You’ll probably need to submit other documents like your marriage license, too. Call your insurance for details.
Thanks for sharing your experience!
The hospital sends the info reported at birth to vital statistics. Waiting for the birth certificate doesn’t change what was reported. You’d need to amend the certificate later for any name changes. Also, your name change process might take longer than you think.