Here's the short answer. New York kids under 19 can get comprehensive coverage through Child Health Plus for $0 to $60 per child per month, based on family income, with no deductibles and no copays, and you can enroll any time of year. It's a state program you sign up for through NY State of Health, not something you buy from me. My help costs you nothing, and part of my job is telling parents when Child Health Plus beats adding the kids to a private plan. That's most of the time. I educate, you decide.

I'm Dick Tracy, an independent health insurance broker in Buffalo, licensed in 25 states with 80+ carriers. I came from the healthcare side of this business, so there's no gag clause on me. Child Health Plus is one of the best deals in New York healthcare, and a lot of parents who qualify have never heard the name. Here's the whole case file.

What is Child Health Plus?

Child Health Plus is New York State's health insurance program for kids under 19. It's not a stripped-down plan and it's not charity care. It's full coverage delivered through regular health plans, and the state subsidizes the premium on a sliding scale based on your family's income. Some families pay nothing. Most who pay something pay $15 to $60 per child per month, and the premium is capped at 3 children no matter how big your crew is. Kid number four rides free.

One thing to be clear about, because I'd rather you hear it straight: you enroll in Child Health Plus through NY State of Health, the official state marketplace, not through a private company. A broker like me can walk you through it and price the alternatives, and that help costs you nothing, but the program itself belongs to the state.

Who qualifies for Child Health Plus?

A child qualifies for Child Health Plus if all of these are true:

• They are under 19
• They are a resident of New York State
• They are not eligible for Medicaid (if they are, they go into Medicaid instead, at no cost)
• They don't already have other insurance
• They are not eligible for NYSHIP, the New York State health benefits plan for public employees

Notice what's not on that list: an income cutoff that locks your child out. Income only decides what you pay. Higher-income families can still enroll at the full plan premium. And on paperwork, the documents you need vary, and immigration status is generally not a barrier for Child Health Plus.

What does Child Health Plus cost in 2026?

Here's the money table. These are the monthly premiums per child by family income, effective for applications on or after February 17, 2026. Find your family size, read down to your income, and that's your price.

Premium capped at 3 children per family. Income levels effective for applications on or after February 17, 2026. Source: NYS Department of Health, Child Health Plus eligibility and cost.

Sit with that for a second. A family of four earning $99,000 pays $30 a month per kid, capped at three kids, so $90 a month tops. No deductible. No copays. I know self-employed parents paying more than that per kid just in copays and deductible exposure on a family plan.

What does Child Health Plus cover?

Comprehensive means comprehensive here. Child Health Plus covers:

• Well-child visits and immunizations
• Diagnosis and treatment of illness and injury
• X-ray and lab tests
• Outpatient surgery and emergency care
• Prescription drugs, and non-prescription drugs when they're ordered
• Inpatient hospital care
• Mental health and substance use treatment
• Dental care, including medically necessary orthodontia
• Vision, speech, and hearing services
• Durable medical equipment
• Ambulance and hospice

And per NY State of Health, Child Health Plus has no annual deductible and no co-payments. Read that dental line again, too. Medically necessary orthodontia is covered. Parents who've priced braces know exactly what that's worth.

Child Health Plus vs. adding your child to your own plan: which is smarter?

Here's where the detective work pays off, especially if you're self-employed. When parents shop for family coverage, the default move is one plan for everybody. But for many self-employed New York parents, the smart split is kids on Child Health Plus, parents on their own plan. Two reasons.

First, the math. Adding children to a private or marketplace plan raises the premium and puts your kids behind the family deductible, so you're paying up front and again at the doctor's office. On Child Health Plus, the same kids cost $0 to $60 each per month with no deductible and no copays. Second, the split frees up your budget to put the parents on coverage that actually fits them, whether that's a marketplace plan with a subsidy or a pre-established ERISA group plan with a true PPO network.

Is the split always the winner? No, and I'll tell you when it isn't. If your child sees a specific pediatric specialist, you check the Child Health Plus plan networks in your county before you move anyone. Sometimes the family plan keeps the doctor and the split doesn't. That's why the rule is simple: price it both ways before you decide. That's exactly what I do on a call, and it costs you nothing either way, since Child Health Plus isn't something I sell. Details in NY State of Health vs. using a broker, and if you're self-employed anywhere in the state, start with the New York self-employed guide.

How do you enroll in Child Health Plus?

The best part: enrollment is year-round. No open enrollment window, no qualifying life event, no waiting for November. Three ways in:

• Online: nystateofhealth.ny.gov, the official NY State of Health marketplace
• By phone: 1-855-355-5777, the NY State of Health help line
• With help: a certified broker or navigator can walk you through the application at no extra cost

When you apply, the marketplace checks your income and family size and sorts each child into the right door automatically. If a child is eligible for Medicaid, they go there at no cost. If not, Child Health Plus, at the premium from the table above. If you want a second set of eyes on the application, or you want the parents' coverage priced at the same time so the whole family lands right, that's a 30-minute call with me and the fee is zero.

Common questions about Child Health Plus