An educational estimate — not advice.
Newborn Coverage Clock helps you understand how long you have to add your baby to coverage. It's a starting point for your own research and a prompt to confirm with your plan — not a substitute for professional guidance or an official determination.
Not professional advice
The information and estimates on this site are provided for general educational purposes only. They are not medical, insurance, legal, tax, or financial advice, are not a substitute for advice from a qualified professional, and don't create any advisory relationship. A missed enrollment window can leave a newborn uninsured, so before you act, confirm your situation with your HR/benefits administrator, your insurer, or the official marketplace.
Estimates and floors, not guarantees
The calculator produces an estimate built on federal floors and standards, not an eligibility determination or a guarantee that coverage will be added or a claim paid. In particular:
- Employer / group window. HIPAA sets a floor of at least 30 days from birth for special enrollment; your specific plan or state may allow more. The day-31 "cliff" is the typical close of that federal-floor window — your plan document (SPD) governs the exact date.
- Marketplace window. HealthCare.gov grants a 60-day special enrollment period for a new baby; procedural details and dates are administered by CMS and can change.
- Medicaid / CHIP. A newborn of a covered mother is generally deemed eligible and auto-enrolled to age 1, so the branch reassures rather than counts down — but whether the deeming applies depends on the mother's coverage at birth and your state's program.
- The clock's start date and self-funded plans. Windows generally run from the date of birth, and state statutory windows generally apply to fully-insured plans, not ERISA self-funded ones. If your plan is self-funded, a longer state window may not apply — fall back to the federal floor and confirm with your plan.
Time-sensitive and subject to change
Federal floors and state statutes can change, and group-plan windows can be longer than the federal floor — never shorter. This tool reflects federal floors and standards verified against U.S. Department of Labor / EBSA guidance (29 CFR §2590.701-6), HealthCare.gov, and Medicaid.gov as of the "Last updated" date on the calculator. The "act within ~48 hours" nudge is practical advice, not a legal deadline.
Verify before you rely on it
Confirm your exact window and enroll through your HR/benefits administrator, your insurer, or HealthCare.gov. We do our best to keep figures accurate and to cite primary sources, but we make no warranty of accuracy or completeness and accept no liability for decisions made based on this site. See our terms of use.
No affiliation
newborncoverageclock.com is an independent tool operated by Red Goggles LLC. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the U.S. Department of Labor, CMS, HHS, HealthCare.gov, Medicaid, any state marketplace, or any insurer or employer plan.
Last updated: June 9, 2026