Doctor Appointment

After your child has arrived, make an appointment with your physician for a general evaluation. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that the physical include hemoglobin/hematocritin and red blood cell indices, urinalysis, blood lead level, vision and hearing testing, dental examination, and screening for hepatitis B, hepatitis C, HIV/AIDS, syphilis, tuberculosis, and intestinal parasites.[1]

Medical Insurance

The Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 (Public Law 103-66) was signed by President Clinton on August 10, 1993.  It amended the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) of 1974.  The most significant change is that the law requires that any group health plan which provides coverage for dependent children of plan participants must provide benefits to a child placed with participants for adoption under the same terms and conditions as apply to a biological child of a plan participant. Additionally, the law prohibits carriers from restricting coverage of adopted children on the basis of a preexisting condition. Therefore, health insurance coverage for adopted children is now available to all families covered by group health plans as soon as those families assume financial responsibility for the child.

The March/ April 2002 issue of Adoptive Families magazine includes a comprehensive article on Health Insurance for Adoptive Children. 

[1] Paragraph excerpt from The National Adoption Information Clearinghouse