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CHIPRA Funds Increased to Provide Health Insurance for Low Income Families

With unemployment in the double digits more and more families are finding themselves without health insurance, which in the past had been provided by their employer. Even those who still have jobs do not always have health insurance benefits

with those jobs.  88% of the uninsured children in the United States are in families which have at least one working parent.

Now on the anniversary of the signing of the Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 (CHIPRA) we are told that 1 out of  9 children in the United States  still has no health insurance.

The good news is that according to CHIPRA’s own studies 5 million of these 8 million children, could now qualify for Federal and State programs under Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).  Under the Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 (CHIPRA), signed by President Obama one year ago today on February 4, 2009, an additional CHIPRA an additional $33 billion in federal funds have been designated to provide medical coverage for children over the next four and one-half years (2009 – 2013). CHIPRA’s mission indicates it was “designed to provide coverage to uninsured children and make sure they stay enrolled and have access to high quality care.”

Even though this bill was passed nearly a year ago, many parents are still unaware that because of this increase in federal funds their children may now be qualified for low income health insurance.

As a single mother in the 80’s and 90’s, I was fortunate through most of that time to have an employer based health program, however my daughter has not been so fortunate.  Through most of my grandchild’s life, my daughter and her husband were self-employed and usually assumed they would not be qualified for state sponsored medical programs.

People often believe they would not qualify for state medical aid because one or more of the parents are working.  It is a common misconception that one must be receiving a Welfare check to get Medicaid however that is not necessarily the case.  Even though each state sets up their own aid programs and the names of the state program and exact qualifications may vary,  in most states a family of four earning less than $44,000/year would be qualified for low income health insurance through  a CHIPRA funded program.

If you or someone you know has minor children who are uninsured they can learn more about this program at the InsureKidsNow or go directly to their State’s web page for more information about low income health insurance programs in their State.

Watch the video below to see how CHIP has made a difference for one young girl.

If you don’t qualify for the CHIP programs in your state then be sure to do your research and get multiple health insurance quotes before selecting a health insurance company. There are many online services that will help you comparison shop your insurance options.

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