Kids’ Program Still Short of Sign Ups; What to Do?

By The Montana Standard, Butte

Apr. 9–HELENA — A state plan offering free health insurance to low-income kids still has plenty of open slots — so the Schweitzer administration may propose expanding its eligibility.

“We’re not sure we’re going to be able to fill those slots within the (current) eligibility,” said Joan Miles, director of the state Department of Public Health and Human Services.

But an advocate for low-income families said Friday the state simply needs to do more to advertise and push the Children’s Health Insurance Program or CHIP.

The 2005 Legislature approved enough CHIP funding to add another 3,000 kids to its rolls this year, up from nearly 11,000 children in early 2005.

But 10 months into the 2006 fiscal year, the program has added only 1,500 additional kids.

And in July, as many as 3,000 additional slots may be available on CHIP, when the state makes it easier for families to qualify for Medicaid.

Some people already on the CHIP program then will qualify for Medicaid, opening up more slots on CHIP.

Kids currently are eligible for CHIP if their family’s annual income is no more than 150 percent of the federal poverty level, or $24,900 for a family of three, and if they don’t qualify for any other publicly funded health-care program.

Applications can be obtained at the state’s Web site at www.chip.mt.gov, or by calling the state’s CHIP hot line at (877) 543-7669.

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