The Medicaid program for an individual state often includes a portion of the program that will provide health insurance for children who come from low-income families. In Oregon, there is a Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and a Healthy Kids Program.
Medicaid is a public, or government run, form of health insurance. It is designed to provide health insurance coverage for people who are low-income and cannot afford to purchase a private health insurance plan. In Oregon, the Medicaid program is called the Oregon Health Plan, and is administered by the Oregon Health Authority.
Many states have a program called the Children’s Health Insurance Program. In Oregon, this is a no-cost public health insurance program that is part of the state’s Medicaid program. To be eligible for CHIP, a person must be a child that is younger than 19 years of age who is living in a household that has an income below 200% of the federal poverty level.
The same application form that a person would use to apply for Medicaid in Oregon is also used for a parent to apply for their children to be covered by CHIP. A parent can request assistance from CHIP for his or her children or stepchildren. CHIP can also cover children under age if 19 if the parent of other relative isn’t in the home.
The state of Oregon will check on the income and assets of the parent or caregiver who applies to have their child covered through CHIP. The state also wants to know if the child is covered by another form of health insurance, (or how long it has been since the child was insured). This is to make sure that everyone receives the correct amount of benefits.
The Oregon Healthy Kids program can be used by families who are not eligible to have their children covered by CHIP. Eligibility is based on the age of the child, the income of the family, and residency. To qualify, a child must be under the age of 19, must live in Oregon, and must be a legal resident.
Families that are low-income or middle-income can be eligible for Healthy Families. The CHIP program is the “no-cost” option. Other options include “low-cost” and “full-cost”. The one that is offered to your kids depends on the income level of the family.
Once a child is enrolled in Healthy Kids, they can stay enrolled for an entire year. If the child is still eligible at the end of that year, he or she can have their enrollment renewed. No child will be turned away, or put on a waiting list, due to having a pre-existing condition. Healthy Kids covers doctor visits, preventative care, medical care, dental care, vision care, prescriptions, durable medical equipment, mental health care and chemical dependency services.
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