Of the 8.3 million children in the United States who do not have health insurance, 5 million are eligible for either Medicaid or the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) but are not enrolled, according to healthinsurancefinders.com. To reduce these numbers, the site has added a section to educate parents about the state-sponsored health insurance options available to them.
Many parents are not aware of the SCHIP and many of those who have heard about it are unaware that they may be eligible, mainly because they feel their income is too high. To increase public awareness, a new section of the company’s site has been added. The new site located at http://www.healthinsurancefinders.com/childrens-health-insurance.html, provides an overview of State Children Health Insurance Programs, with each state having a dedicated page where consumers can find out information on eligibility, waiting periods, covered benefits, premium calculations as well as contact information.
If you have not heard of the SCHIP programs, basically they offer low or no co-payment or premiums to children from most families, including those with moderate incomes. Unlike many state administered program, you do not have to be below the federal poverty level to qualify for assistance.
Legislation was approved by The U.S. Congress in 1997 allowing states to build upon their Medicaid programs to provide comprehensive health insurance to even more children. The laws that govern the SCHIP programs vary from state to state so you will have to check with your particular state to see what options are available to you.
Typically, the program is available to children under the age of 19 and eligibility is based on family size and income.A few states have opened the program to all residents regardless of income. An annual review is conducted in most states to determine if eligibility requirements are still met. Any child whose family falls outside of the income guidelines may not qualify to renew coverage after the annual review.
For more information about the Children’s Health Insurance Program in your state, visit the link provided above.