Posted on 08/07/2007 6:41:11 AM PDT by Cat loving Texan
Texas CHIP changes coming Sept. 1 Children will be able to stay longer in the health insurance program
By Corrie MacLaggan AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF Tuesday, August 07, 2007
Starting Sept. 1, Texas families will be able to stay in the Children's Health Insurance Program for a full year rather than having to reapply every six months, and, in most cases, they won't have to wait 90 days to enroll.
The changes, which are expected to expand enrollment, come as debate in Washington continues on federal funding of the State Children's Health Insurance Program. In Texas, families will be able to deduct child care expenses when determining eligibility, and they can have more valuable cars and other assets and still qualify.
"Thousands of working families in Austin/Travis County and throughout Texas will have easier access to affordable health insurance for their kids," said state Rep. Dawnna Dukes, D-Austin, an author of the CHIP expansion that the state Legislature passed in the spring.
CHIP, a state-run program that receives federal funding, is designed for families who earn too much to qualify for Medicaid but not enough to pay for private insurance. Families of four in Texas can earn up to $41,300 and still qualify.
President Bush has threatened to veto plans approved in the U.S. House and Senate last week that would expand federal money for the program.
There are about 300,000 Texas children enrolled in CHIP, down from more than 500,000 in 2003, when lawmakers created restrictions during a budget crunch. The new law, which eliminates some of those restrictions, is expected to add almost 130,000 children to the rolls over two years, state officials say.
Texas Health and Human Services Commission spokeswoman Stephanie Goodman said she expects enrollment will "jump significantly" in September because CHIP families in the midst of the 90-day waiting period will be enrolled immediately. Children who have recently had private health insurance will still have to wait 90 days to enroll in CHIP.
Austinite Jeanette O'Donnell, who recently signed up for CHIP coverage for two of her daughters, said her family looks forward to staying in the program for a full year.
"Six months goes by so quickly," she said. "Before you know it, you're renewing, and you have to go through the whole process again."
Although the new law expands coverage to a full year, O'Donnell received a letter last week saying she must renew coverage every six months.
Goodman said the state is not updating correspondence until mid-August because it would have been too complicated to generate "a zillion different letters" for the different possible start dates before and after the law goes into effect. "Not a perfect solution," she acknowledged.
In statewide radio and TV ads, the commission is encouraging families to apply for CHIP and children's Medicaid throughout August.
Catholic Charities of Central Texas has a state contract to provide information on CHIP and other programs at health clinics and back-to-school fairs.
"By signing up their children now, it's one less stress they have to worry about," said program coordinator Victoria Torres Rogers.
cmaclaggan@statesman.com; 445-3548
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