Every state has a Medicaid program. A portion of that program is designed to cover children who come from low-income families. In North Dakota, CHIP is also called Healthy Steps. It covers children who are under the age of 18.
Medicaid is a public, or government run, form of health insurance. It is designed to cover low-income individuals and families who cannot afford to purchase health insurance from a private company. The funding for Medicaid comes from both the federal government and the government of an individual state.
In North Dakota, the Medicaid program is administered by the North Dakota Department of Human Services. Every state has a portion of Medicaid that covers children. This is often called CHIP, which stands for Children’s Health Insurance Program. In North Dakota, the same program is also called Healthy Steps.
It is very easy to find out the eligibility requirements for Healthy Steps. Children must be 18 years of age or younger. Children must be residents of North Dakota. The child must also be a United States citizen or a qualified alien.
Children who are already fully covered by Medicaid are not eligible for Healthy Steps. Kids covered by other forms of health insurance, (including health plans from a private insurance company), are also not eligible for Healthy Steps. In order for a child to qualify, his or her family must meet the income guidelines.
Once a child is enrolled in Healthy Steps insurance, he or she will be covered for a 12 month period. This is true only if the child remains in the household and does not obtain other health insurance coverage. Healthy Steps will contact families twice a year to verify that their enrolled child (or children) are still living at home and that they do not have other health insurance coverage. There will be another notification sent before the 12 month enrollment period ends, to remind families to re-enroll their children.
It is important for parents to know that coverage does not immediately begin the instant a child has been enrolled in Healthy Steps. “Under state law, Healthy Steps coverage begins on the first day of the next month after eligibility is determined”.
Take your child to the doctor before that date, and you can expect to pay out of pocket for the health care he or she received. Once you reach the date that coverage begins, you must make sure your child is seen by a BCBSND doctor (also known as a participating provider).
Healthy Steps does not have a monthly co-pay. Instead, it requires a $2.00 co-payment for each prescription, a $5.00 co-payment for each emergency room visit, and a $50.00 co-payment for each hospital admission. There are no pre-existing condition rules. A child’s pre-existing condition will not result in exclusion from coverage.
Image by David Pursehouse on Flickr