Insurance rates and plans may vary from state to state. Since you are considering buying Blue Shield insurance, your main concerns now are what kind of plan and the etent of coverage you want as well as how much you can pay. Blue Shield Insurance, just like some of the other insurance companies, offers products that range from Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) to Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) to Point of Service Plans (POP). In California, Blue Shield Insurance offers a Healthy Families Program. You can check with your state if Blue Shield has a similar type of insurance plan. For now, let’s use the Blue Shield insurance California as an eample. You must remember that age and health are some of the factors in determining your monthly premium. So your child’s age is essential on how much you would pay. A child who is below 19 years old, a US citizen, national, or qualified immigrant can be enrolled in a Blue Shield (California) insurance. He or she must not be enrolled in any other health insurance by his or her parent’s employer. Blue Shield insurance considers the family’s preta monthly income for its required income deductions. For a family of three with a child 0 to 1, your monthly income must be within the bracket of $2,935 - $3,667; with child age 1 to 5, $1,952 - $3,667; and with child age 6 to 18, $1,468 - $3,667. These are the income bracket for you to qualify for Blue Shield insurance’s Healthy Families Program. Blue Shield insurance has two types of plans in California. Although the plans have the same benefits, the choice depends on what state the member lives. As for the premium, ask an agent to give you a quote so you can get an eact figure. - June 17, 2009 @ 11:30am