The Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services is reminding parents they have only a limited amount of time to enroll their children in an individual health insurance policy.

Under healthcare reform, insurance companies cannot deny children coverage based on their medical history. A number of providers in other states announced they would be dropping child-only policies. Since then, some states have reached agreements with providers who announced such decisions.

It has been asserted that parents would only purchase a plan for their child when they become ill. To help prevent that, an open-enrollment period has been established in states. In Oregon, parents have from now until the end of the year to sign their child up for a plan.

DCBS administrator Teresa Miller says parents still need to pay attention to certain provisions of the new healthcare laws.

"While children will be able to get an individual policy regardless of their health, parents need to be aware of new timelines," says Miller.

In the upcoming years, there will be health insurance exchanges set up where consumers can obtain information on various plans. People can also look online for quotes and insurance options.