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The Affordable Care Act requires health insurers to accept children regardless of their pre-existing conditions in all group plans and in newly-sold individual health plans. This means that a child cannot be denied health insurance based on their health status. Further, the child’s insurer cannot refuse to pay for treatment just because a condition pre-existed the date that the child enrolled in the plan. However, in a number of states, insurers have said they will not sell “child-only” policies (policies that cover just the child and not other family members) under these new rules. They have said that they are concerned about the financial risks involved, and that families may wait until a child is sick to purchase coverage. HHS’s guidance explains that insurers and states can guard against these risks in several ways, but must accept children with pre-existing conditions when they are accepting other children. Although the market for child-only policies is relatively small, these policies offer important protection to children who cannot be covered by their parent’s job-based plans. A number of states are therefore taking action to keep child-only plans in their markets.