Eleven million preschoolers and school-age children in the United States do not have heath insurance. These children—the majority of whom have working
parents and are likely to be in child care or afterschool programs every day—suffer needlessly from preventable health problems. The child care community
sees the cost of this problem on a daily basis, as children come through the door with undiagnosed vision and hearing problems and with preventable
illnesses.
The Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), passed by Congress in 1997, is the first significant funding increase for children’s health coverage since
Medicaid began in 1965. For the promise of this landmark legislation to be realized, it is critical that child care providers and teachers, Head Start and
pre-kindergarten programs, before-and and afterschool programs, and resource and referral agencies become active partners in assuring that families get the
health insurance they need for their children.
CHIP provides $4 billion a year in grants to states to provide free or low-cost health insurance for uninsured children younger than 18. Although benefits vary
by state, in most cases children will be able to receive hospital care, regular check-ups, shots, doctor visits, eyeglasses, and prescription medications. At this
point, 48 states and the District of Columbia are registering children in the new program.
Chip covers uninsured children with family incomes too high for Medicaid coverage, but too low to afford private family coverage. This program is for
low-and moderate-income working families, which not only includes families that rely on child care programs to keep their children safe while they work, but
also the families of many child care staff and teachers. While eligibility criteria vary by state, a typical cutoff for a family of four is about $32,900 a year.
The Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) is working with advocates across the county to develop outreach efforts. Outreach to parents of preschoolers is
especially important so that all young children can have a healthy start in life. Here are some of the things you can do to ensure children in your community
receive health insurance through this new program:
Visit CDF’s Web site at www.childrensdefense.org to get more detailed information on eligibility criteria, benefits and coverage, application process, and
state contacts, and a flier you can download on each state’s CHIP program. Or call us at 1-800-CDF-1200 (press "2" for the new Children’s Health
Insurance Program).
You can call today to find out what is available in your state. All 800, 888, and 877 numbers are toll-free. (Information Current as of Friday, October 16, 1998)
Alabama
ALL Kids: 888-373-KIDS
Medicaid: 800-362-1504
Alaska
Medicaid: 907-561-2171 -- Will refer to local #
Arizona
KidsCare: 877-764-KIDS
Arkansas
ARKids First: 888-474-8275
California
Healthy Families/Medi-Cal: 888-747-1222
Colorado
Family Health Line: 800-688-7777
CHP+: 800-359-1991
Medicaid: 800-221-3943
Connecticut
HUSKY Plan: 877-CT-HUSKY or 800-656-6684
Delaware
Medicaid: 800-372-2022
Delaware Healthy Children (Jan. 1999): 800-996-9969 (Dec. 1998)
District of Columbia
DC Healthy Families: 800-666-2229
Florida
Florida KidCare: 888-FLA-KIDS
Georgia
GA Peach Care for Kids: 877-GA-PEACH
Medicaid: 800-766-4456 -- Will refer to local #
Hawaii
Medicaid: -- Number available soon
Idaho
Medicaid: 800-926-2588
Illinois
KidCare: 800-323-GROW
Medicaid: 800-252-8635
Indiana
Hoosier Healthwise: 800-889-9949
Iowa
Hawk-I (December - Phase II): 800-369-2229
Kansas
HealthWave (Nov. 1, 1998): 800-766-9012
Medicaid: 800-792-4884
Kentucky
Medicaid: 800-635-2570 -- Will refer to local #
KCHIP(Start date not yet established): -- Number available soon
Louisiana
LaCHIP (Nov. 1, 1998): 877-2LA-CHIP/877-252-2447
Maine
Cub Care/Medicaid: Call your local Department of Human Services to apply. -- Number available soon
Maryland
Maryland Children's Health Program: 800-456-8900
Massachusetts
MassHealth: 800-841-2900
Michigan
MIChild (where applicable): 888-988-6300
Minnesota
MinnesotaCare: 800-657-3672 -- Will refer to local #
Mississippi
Mississippi Children's Health Insurance Program: 800-948-3050
Missouri
MC+: 888-275-5908 -- Will refer to local #
Montana
MT Kids Insurance: 800-421-6667
Medicaid: 800-362-8312 -- Will refer to local #
Nebraska
Kids Connection: 877-NEB-KIDS/877-632-5437
Nevada
Nevada Check Up: 800-360-6044
Medicaid: 702-687-5000 -- Will refer to local #
New Hampshire
Healthy Kids--Gold: 800-852-3345
Healthy Kids--Silver (Jan. 1999): -- Number soon available
New Jersey
NJ KidCare: 800-701-0710 -- Will refer to local #
New Mexico
Medicaid: 888-997-2583 -- Will refer to local #
New York
Child Health Plus: 800-698-4543
Medicaid: 800-522-5006
North Carolina
NC Health Choice: 800-367-2229
North Dakota
Medicaid: 800-755-2604
Healthy Steps (Start date not yet established): -- Number soon available
Ohio
Healthy Start: 800-324-8680
Oklahoma
SoonerCare: 800-987-7767 -- Will refer to local #
Oregon
Oregon Health Plan: 800-359-9517
Pennsylvania
PA Children's Health Insurance Program: 800-986-KIDS
Rhode Island
RiteCare: 800-346-1004
South Carolina
Partners for Healthy Children: 888-549-0820
South Dakota
Medicaid: 605-773-4678 -- Will refer to local #
Tennessee
TennCare: 800-669-1851
Texas
Texas Children's Health Insurance Program: 800-422-2956 -- Will refer to local #
Utah
Utah Children's Health Insurance Program: 800-662-9651 -- Will refer to local #
Medicaid: 888-222-2542 -- Will refer to local #
Vermont
Dr. Dynasaur and the Vermont Medicaid Health Access Plan: 800-250-8427
Virginia
Virginia Children's Medical Security Plan: 877-VA-CMSIP/877-822-6747 (Start date not yet established)
Medicaid: 804-786-7933 -- Will refer to local #
Washington
Medicaid/Healthy Options: 800-204-6429
West Virginia
West Virginia Children's Health Insurance Program (Start date not yet established for phase II): 888-WV-FAMILY
Wisconsin
Medicaid: 800-362-3002
BadgerCare: -- Number soon available
Wyoming
Medicaid: 307-777-7921 -- Will refer to local #
