Many parents want to know, "Is my child eligible for Medicaid?" Something we all have in common is a desire for happiness and good health for ourselves and our families; especially our children. Happiness is free for the taking; just make the life choices. Good health, on the other hand, at some point, will come with billing from the medical community for services rendered. For most of us, this is only affordable if we have health insurance. We want our children to have a healthy start and continued good health. So we ask, "Is my child eligible for Medicaid?" Yes!
If health insurance is not affordable, what can parents do to make sure our children are insured? Parents do have choices. Pregnant women, married or single, and children up to age 18 (up to 21 years old in some states), living at or below the federal poverty line, are eligible for Medicaid. What qualifies as the federal poverty level? According to the 2009 Federal Poverty Guidelines, a family of two that has an income of less than $19,378 is considered at the federal poverty level and is eligible for Medicaid. Special circumstances are considered, as well. If your child has a catastrophic illness and is in need of nursing home care, but could live at home with good quality care, your income may not be considered. Medicaid eligibility is decided on a state-by-state basis. On February 4, 2009, President Barack Obama signed the Children's Health Insurance Re-Authorization Act of 2009, expanding the healthcare program to an additional 4 million children. Pregnant women and legal immigrants are included under this Act. The importance of this is, if you (pregnant mothers), or your child is not eligible for Medicaid because your income is too high, you or your child may still be eligible under CHIP/SCHIP. Babies who are born of mothers who are insured under Medicaid or CHIP/SCHIP are born, insured. This is great for our children! Every child in America has the benefit of good health. Parents or other eligible representative of a child just have to apply.
Contact your state office at 1-877-KIDS-NOW/1-877-543-7669 for more information and to determine your eligibility. There are caseworkers available to help you through the process. Each state varies in policies and procedure, so, be sure to contact the state in which you reside. Go to the website for Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services at http://www.cms.gov/ for more detailed information. We believe in keeping our children healthy!
Copyright, Is My Child Eligible for Medicaid? Sharon Rose, Parents Want to Know 101, December 9, 2011, all rights reserved.
No comments:
Post a Comment