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Can I add my foster child to my health insurance in Georgia?

Last verified Oct 18, 2026 · Sources: Medicaid manual 2810, 2230, 2819 · PAMMS 10.11, 13.10 · DCH Georgia Families 360° FAQ View the full guide →

Short answer

Usually you don't. A child in DFCS foster care is covered by Georgia Medicaid through a program called Georgia Families 360°, and Georgia policy has the DFCS case manager start the Medicaid application within 24 hours of the child entering care. We found no official source on whether a foster parent may or must add the child to a private plan, so ask your case manager before you change any coverage.

Verified Oct 18, 2026 Source: Medicaid Policy Manual 2810, Foster Care Funding and Medicaid Application Processing

We're not insurance advisers, and this is not medical or legal advice

We quote Georgia Medicaid and DFCS documents word for word and link to them. For decisions about your own plan, ask your case manager and your plan's member services.

What covers a child in foster care?

The Georgia Department of Community Health (DCH) describes the program like this: Verified Oct 18, 2026

"Georgia Families 360° is the name of the Medicaid program covering children and youth in Foster Care, Adoption Assistance, and select youth in the custody of the Department of Juvenile Justice for healthcare benefits."

The Georgia Medicaid program page names the company that runs it: Verified Oct 18, 2026

"Amerigroup Community Care of Georgia, one of the state’s CMOs, provides health care coverage for these populations."

DFCS policy 10.11 (May 2024) tells caseworkers that "Children in foster care should be seen by Georgia Medicaid providers." Verified Oct 18, 2026 For the full picture of the plan, including how its administration is changing, read the Georgia Families 360° guide.

We use this box for something we couldn't confirm with an official source, or that is changing. See it on our list of everything we're still confirming

The plan's administrator may change

The official pages we opened on October 18, 2026 still name Amerigroup. Our Georgia Families 360° guide tracks reporting that the state awarded a later contract to another company and that the switch has been delayed; we have not confirmed that with DCH. If a name or number here doesn't match your child's card, call your case manager.

Do I enroll the child?

No. For a child in DFCS custody the process starts with the caseworker. Georgia's Medicaid policy manual says: Verified Oct 18, 2026

"The Foster Care Medicaid application process begins with the county Social Service Case managers entering required demographic, removal home, income and resource data into SHINES within 24 hours of a child entering foster care."

DCH's FAQ adds that the program is not one a family can opt into: Verified Oct 18, 2026

"Because Georgia Families 360° is designed to serve a specific population of children and youth, a parent cannot enroll their child in this program."

That sentence speaks of a parent; for a foster child the enrollment comes through DFCS, as the manual excerpt shows. The Georgia Families 360° member intake line is 1-855-661-2021. Verified Oct 18, 2026 Source: the same DCH FAQ (page 4). One part of that FAQ says the line runs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and another says weekdays, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., so we don't state hours. The DCH program page lists a different number, so check the guide if one doesn't connect.

We use this box for something we couldn't confirm with an official source, or that is changing. See it on our list of everything we're still confirming

Not yet confirmed: the member ID card

We haven't found an official document that says when or how a new placement's member ID or card reaches the foster family. Ask your case manager for the child's Medicaid member ID at placement and keep it handy.

Getting care, and the one rule to know

Each child gets a care coordination team from the plan. DFCS policy 10.11 warns about what happens if care skips that team: Verified Oct 18, 2026

"Any services not authorized by the Amerigroup CCT will not be paid for out of Medicaid."

The same policy lists this DFCS duty: "Ensure each child receives a Health Check within 10 calendar days of entering foster care." Verified Oct 18, 2026 Ask the case manager when that appointment is scheduled.

Does my own health insurance matter?

We use this box for something we couldn't confirm with an official source, or that is changing. See it on our list of everything we're still confirming

Not yet confirmed: adding a foster child to your plan

We searched the DFCS child welfare and Medicaid manuals and the DCH Georgia Families 360° pages and found nothing that says a foster parent may, must or must not add a foster child to a private health plan. Employer plans have their own rules. Before you change any coverage, ask your case manager what DFCS expects, and ask your plan's administrator whether a foster child is an eligible dependent. This question is on our research list.

What the Medicaid manual does say is that other coverage is reported, not ignored: Verified Oct 18, 2026

"Medical Assistance applicants and recipients (A/Rs) are required to provide information regarding third party liability (TPLs) available to AU members."

The manual's list of third party liability includes commercial health insurance policies. If your child already has other coverage, tell the case manager rather than cancelling or adding policies on your own.

When a young person ages out

Georgia extends Medicaid for young adults who leave foster care. Medicaid policy 2819 says: Verified Oct 18, 2026

"The Affordable Care Act allows Medicaid coverage to be extended to individuals who age out of foster care, or age out of Chafee Independence Program, and were receiving Medicaid to the last day of the month they turn 26 years of age."

The same policy says: "There are no income or resource limits for Former Foster Care Medicaid." Verified Oct 18, 2026 It also says "Former foster youth may apply for Former Foster Care Medicaid through the Gateway Customer Portal or at any Division of Family and Child(ren) Services (DFCS) office" and "Former Foster Care recipients are enrolled in Amerigroup as their CMO enrollment." Verified Oct 18, 2026 DFCS policy 13.10 (dated October 2015, with later revisions noted) lists the same age-26 rule. Our aging-out guide covers the rest of the leaving-care checklist, and the records page covers getting your health records.

What to do next

Georgia Families 360° guide

The plan, the phone numbers and what to do when one stops working.

Guide · 7 min

The placement call

What to ask in the first five minutes, including the Medicaid number.

Guide · 7 min

Aging out of foster care in Georgia

Medicaid to 26, extended care and the paperwork checklist.

Guide · 10 min

Getting your foster care records

Free health and education records at exit, and the Open Records route.

Question · 5 min

Sources & verification

Foster411 summarizes Georgia policy in plain language. The DCH FAQ is an older document (PDF modified 2021). Plan names, rules and numbers change; if today is past our verified date, confirm with your case manager.