Affordable California State Child Health Insurance Plans – I Can’t Pay Much

Finding Affordable or No Cost Insurance For Your Child

Every child needs dependable health insurance. However, not all parents can afford the full cost of private medical insurance. As a result, there are a variety of programs offered by the state of California and private organizations that can provide health care to financially strapped families. Through these programs, there should be no child in California that doesn’t have health insurance.

In the sections below we will give an overview of the child health insurance programs that are available in California. Some of these plans provide complete coverage for children at no cost, and others provide just the basic services. Then we’ll outline the steps parents should take to find the best program for their children.

Medi-Cal

This is the name for California’s Medicaid program. The program is administered by California, and is financed equally by the Federal and State government. Medi-Cal provides no cost health insurance to low-income families, seniors, and people with disabilities. People that qualify for Medi-Cal can receive free preventive care, treatment for injuries and illnesses, dental care, vision screening, and mental health treatment.

This program is one of the cornerstones of the Affordable Care Act, and will expand considerably to take in new people in 2014.

Healthy Families

The healthy families program provides low cost health insurance to the children of low income families. This program provides a variety of services such as medical, dental, visions, and preventive care. The program requires families to meet certain income requirements which may viewed at the following link: http://www.healthyfamilies.ca.gov/HFProgram/Income_Guidelines.aspx

The Healthy Families program is being rolled into the Medi-Cal program during 2013. The transition plan will ensure that families do not see a disruption in services, and will increase the benefits that children receive once inside of Medi-Cal. Healthy Families is still accepting applications for new children.

Child Health and Disability Prevention Program (CHDP)

This is not an insurance program. However, the program does assist low income families in obtaining preventive care and health assessments for their children. CHDP provides checkups, nutrition evaluations and guidance, immunizations, hearing, and vision screenings. This program is administered by the state Department of Health Care Services (DHCS). The program helps families determine their eligibility for assistance programs, and enroll in the appropriate care program, such as Healthy Families and Medi-Cal.

Children’s Health Initiative (CHI)

Children’s Health initiative is run by an independent non-profit known as The Institute For Health Policy Solutions (IHPS). CHI works with many counties to reach the low-income families with children that don’t have health insurance. CHI works with families whose income is less than 300% of the Federal Povery Level. By providing technical support and guidance, programs are created in each county to create “Healthy Kids” insurance plans in a partnership with the local communities and businesses.

CHI helps families determine which state programs they qualify for, and can assist in the enrollment process.

For information about CHI in your county, see the following map of California: http://www.ihps-ca.org/localcovsol/cov_initiatives.html

California Children’s Services (CCS)

CCS is a state program that provides health care assistance to children up to age 21 with special health problems. The program works with Medi-Cal and Healthy Families to provide case management and ensure that children receive the right care and see the right physicians for their special health needs. Examples of special health problems are cystic fibrosis, hemophilia, cerebral palsy, heart disease, cancer, and traumatic injuries.

Steps You Should Take To Find Affordable Child Health Insurance

If the mother of a baby is enrolled in Medi-Cal or the Aid for Infants and Mothers (AIM) program, then the steps below will not apply for getting baby health insurance after birth. In this situation, the baby will be transferred into Medi-Cal with the mother, or into Healthy Families or Medi-Cal if the mother is in the AIM program. For all other situations, use the steps outlined below.

The first step is to look at the coverage map for the Children’s Health Initiative above. If CHI has an active program in your area, then this program can act as your partner in helping you get into the correct health program.
If CHI is not active in your county, then contact the Child Health and Disability Prevention Program. This office can help you through the process of finding the correct program and assist you in filling out the necessary forms, or they will put you in contact with a local office for assistance.
If neither of the steps above works, then you should contact your local Medi-Cal office. Medi-Cal will be your lowest cost solution, so start with this program
If you do not qualify for Medi-Cal, then contact the Healthy Families program.
No child in California should be left without health insurance. By providing the proper care and nurturing, we ensure a better future for our state. The programs we have outlined above can provide families with financial difficulties, the health care their children need. The first move is to follow the outlined path, taking one step at a time, and enrolling your child or chi

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off

Finding Child Health Insurance in California

Low wage earning, working families who have a hard time paying for insurance have the benefit of Federally funded State Children’s Health Insurance Program, or SCHIP, laws. The state of California has used its Federal SCHIP funds on a program called “Healthy Families.” Under California’s Healthy Families program, your children can be fully enrolled to receive health care benefits if your family’s income level is at or below 250% of the poverty level. As of January 2010, that figure was $55,125. There are strict guidelines for verifying a family’s low-income status and if you do not fall within the parameters, it is up to you to find other child health insurance.

Fortunately, California is home to a wide range of plans, though it can be a daunting task to sort through them. Let’s start with the easiest option.

Claiming Them as Dependents

Child health insurance in California, as in any other state, may be most easily obtained through your own individual insurance plan, though this may not always be the cheapest option. As a general rule, a child can be covered under his our her parents’ plan until their 19th birthday, unless they are a full-time student, in which case they can be covered up to age 23 or 24. However the new health care bill that is currently sitting on the Senate floor would extend that age to 26 for full-time students. Certain statuses will affect this age limit, such as disability status. Once these young adults reach the cutoff point of course, they will have to get their own individual insurance plan.

Choosing an Individual Plan

You will have to find individual health care plans if you are unable to cover them as your dependent. A “child health insurance: California coverage” search is similar to a search that one would do regardless of where they live, and can be done in the three steps outlined below. The great news about California is that, because it is such a large market, there are generally more offerings available to choose from than there would be in a smaller, less populated state.

Online Research. You can choose to use an online quote tool where you simply enter the zip code of your child’s residence at the top. Within moments, you will have a list of child health insurance California plans. You can easily compare the plans’ benefits versus cost and find the insurance that fits you and your child’s needs.
Narrow the Field. You will want to look at the plans through two lenses, cost and care. For example, you will want to choose an insurance plan that will pay for immunization if your child still requires them. In addition, you will want to ensure that any medications your child currently takes will be covered; this usually means you need a prescription plan. You can also narrow the field by throwing out things you know you will not need, if you have a small child there is little need for a maternity or tobacco cessation program coverage.
Insurance Usage. Once you have adequate insurance in place, you need to use it indiscriminately. Many times a child’s health concerns can be answered simply with over-the-counter medications suggested by a phone call to the pediatrician. Avoid those costly emergency room visits whenever you can. In some cases where medical treatment is required, you can shop around for the best price. Look at it as you would any other purchase and be a perceptive consumer, you can do this and still receive excellent health care.
Paying for Your Child’s Plan

Did you know that you can pay for your children’s health insurance coverage in full or in part for as long as you want? All you have to do is give the insurance company your billing address, bank account number or credit card for payment instead of theirs. This is the case regardless of whether you both live in California or not.

There is a great deal of insurance information online, if you want to researc

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off