Has no one ever heard of CHIP?

[GabiandVi 34]

I mentioned this program in another thread, but it was ignored. Who are these 8 million children who are not covered by insurance? (A legitimate question.) I ask because in my state even before this program was reauthorized and expanded by Obama's administration, I was not very far over the limit to qualify for this program. I'm wondering who makes as much as I do but can't afford health insurance for their children.

http://www.cms.hhs.gov/home/chip.asp

[alienlovechild 75]

I'm wondering who makes as much as I do but can't afford health insurance for their children.

What percentage of your income would go to health insurance?

[Danno 1,228]

I thought it was called S-chip?

Anyways the idea of S-chip is to provide another means ...or program to rope more people into a govt controlled Health system. It's not for the poor as they are already covered.

Every year they seek to expand it and those who resist are of course selfish and greedy.

When they speak of this program they always talk about "Children" but the age limit can go up to like 27 or some ridiculous age.

[GabiandVi 34]

I'm wondering who makes as much as I do but can't afford health insurance for their children.

What percentage of your income would go to health insurance?

Do you mean what percentage of my salary currently goes to health insurance? Well, that's not how qualification for CHIP is figured in my state, but I currently pay about 6.5% of my salary on premiums for the standard choice of coverage for me and my child.

The no-cost CHIP covers children in families who have an income of 200% of the Federal Poverty Level. The affordable CHIP covers children in families with an income up to 250% of FPL at a cost of $50 a month. I make about 275% of FPL I estimate.

I forgot to add that my insurance does not cover dental, but CHIP, or CHIPRA as it is now called does.

[Ban Hammer 13,722]

i've heard of it - maybe because i smoke.

[Malrothien 6]

I was on CHIP from 16-18. Provided decent care.

[alienlovechild 75]

Do you mean what percentage of my salary currently goes to health insurance? Well, that's not how qualification for CHIP is figured in my state, but I currently pay about 6.5% of my salary on premiums for the standard choice of coverage for me and my child.

Interesting, I pay about 4.5% of my salary for me and my wife. I'm not counting a kid yet so maybe I'll end up paying more than you and still not elgible for any government program I know of.

[rebeccajo 14]

It's called CHIP in our state.

It covers children up to the age of 18.

The child cannot be eligible for Medicaid.

I am not sure how they come up with the income figures. There are three plans and the lower the income the fewer co-pays, etc. By example a family of three would be limited to an annual gross income of $45,775 for the top level plan paying maximum co-pays of $15 (in other words that's the MOST you can make and still enroll your children).

As far as who are these 8 million children? That is a good question with a plan such as CHIP available. I would guess there may be some lower-income families who aren't aware of the program. Another guess - families who earn slightly more than the top income level of a CHIP program whose employers do not provide affordable coverage. To insure your children you usually pay the steepest premium on your benefit table. Persons who work for small employers would be at the greatest disadvantage because those employers either cannot get into competitively priced groups or they ask their employees to pay a larger portion of the premium.

Where I work, coverage for husband and wife runs around $300 a month - I don't know what it costs if you take a family plan but we all know it would be higher. You might not think that's outrageous until you consider the fact that most of the staff earn well under $20000 a year. If your paycheck is less than $600 every two weeks and your premium is $150, you are probably choosing groceries over insurance.

Edited August 26, 2009 by rebeccajo

[GabiandVi 34]

It's called CHIP in our state.

It covers children up to the age of 18.

The child cannot be eligible for Medicaid.

I am not sure how they come up with the income figures. There are three plans and the lower the income the fewer co-pays, etc. By example a family of three would be limited to an annual gross income of $45,775 for the top level plan paying maximum co-pays of $15 (in other words that's the MOST you can make and still enroll your children).

As far as who are these 8 million children? That is a good question with a plan such as CHIP available. I would guess there may be some lower-income families who aren't aware of the program. Another guess - families who earn slightly more than the top income level of a CHIP program whose employers do not provide affordable coverage. To insure your children you usually pay the steepest premium on your benefit table. Persons who work for small employers would be at the greatest disadvantage because those employers either cannot get into competitively priced groups or they ask their employees to pay a larger portion of the premium.

Where I work, coverage for husband and wife runs around $300 a month - I don't know what it costs if you take a family plan but we all know it would be higher. You might not think that's outrageous until you consider the fact that most of the staff earn well under $20000 a year. If your paycheck is less than $600 every two weeks and your premium is $150, you are probably choosing groceries over insurance.

But if you are making only $20,000 a year, you can qualify for medicaid. If you make more so that you don't qualify for medicaid, you qualify for CHIP.

Chip in my state has no deductibles, but we only have two levels. From medicaid limits to 200% FPL there is no premium. From 200% to 250% there is a small premium. And in my state I think it it continues up to the age of 21 if the child was covered before the age of 18. It also covers pregnant women.

[GabiandVi 34]

The only children I can imagine wouldn't have health insurance are those whose parents aren't aware of the program. I can't imagine there are 8 million of them, though. And I'm also not sure if their parents' ignorance is a convincing argument for healthcare reform. (I'm not suggesting that there aren't scores of other convincing arguments, I just wonder about this "8 million uninsured children" that I keep hearing about.)

There are other "affordable" insurance providers for those who make more than 250% FPL but do not have insurance through their employers. I had to buy this for the months between when my previous insurance ended and my new insurance took effect. It cost the same as my current insurance premiums. I found it online and I used it for my daughter during those months that we were on it.

Edited August 26, 2009 by GabiandVi

[natty bumppo 297]

CHIPs ... do you love Eric Estrada?

[Danno 1,228]

The only children I can imagine wouldn't have health insurance are those whose parents aren't aware of the program. I can't imagine there are 8 million of them, though. And I'm also not sure if their parents' ignorance is a convincing argument for healthcare reform. (I'm not suggesting that there aren't scores of other convincing arguments, I just wonder about this "8 million uninsured children" that I keep hearing about.)

There are other "affordable" insurance providers for those who make more than 250% FPL but do not have insurance through their employers. I had to buy this for the months between when my previous insurance ended and my new insurance took effect. It cost the same as my current insurance premiums. I found it online and I used it for my daughter during those months that we were on it.

As usual you bring up a good point (I have not yet heard of).

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

The only children I can imagine wouldn't have health insurance are those whose parents aren't aware of the program. I can't imagine there are 8 million of them, though. And I'm also not sure if their parents' ignorance is a convincing argument for healthcare reform. (I'm not suggesting that there aren't scores of other convincing arguments, I just wonder about this "8 million uninsured children" that I keep hearing about.)

There are other "affordable" insurance providers for those who make more than 250% FPL but do not have insurance through their employers. I had to buy this for the months between when my previous insurance ended and my new insurance took effect. It cost the same as my current insurance premiums. I found it online and I used it for my daughter during those months that we were on it.

Some background on these figures.

However, 8.9 million children remain uninsured, and about two-thirds of these children are eligible for SCHIP or Medicaid. These children live predominantly in working families with incomes below 200 percent of poverty, and although some children were previously enrolled in Medicaid or SCHIP, other parents do not know that their children qualify or how to apply, or have faced enrollment barriers.