Income Requirements for CHIP in Utah

Families with low incomes may struggle to provide quality health coverage to children. Utah participates in the federal Children's Health Insurance Program, or CHIP, which provides comprehensive health insurance to low-income children for reduced premium rates. In order for your children to qualify for CHIP coverage, your household income must meet eligibility standards determined by the state of Utah.

Income Requirements

• According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, as of 2011, children under age 19 can qualify for CHIP with household incomes of up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level. However, if your household income falls below 133 percent of the federal poverty level and you have a child aged five or under, you may qualify for Medicaid, for which you pay no out-of-pocket costs. Children over age five can qualify for Medicaid with household incomes at or below 100 percent of the federal poverty level.

Additional Requirements

• In addition to meeting income requirements for CHIP eligibility, your children must also be legal residents of Utah. They cannot be currently insured under another health plan when you apply for coverage, and you cannot apply for CHIP for any child over age 18. Your citizenship or legal residency status has no effect on your child's eligibility, and is not investigated when you apply for CHIP for your children.

Cost Sharing

• Despite your family's eligibility for the Utah CHIP program based on financial need, the state will likely still require you to demonstrate some financial cost sharing to remain in the program. With the exception of Native Americans, who do not pay any premiums for CHIP coverage, most Utah families enrolled in CHIP must pay a premium of up to $75 per quarter. Your premium amount will depend on your income, rather than the number of children you enroll in the program. You will receive an invoice every three months from the Department of Workforce Service, though you may set up monthly installment payments. If you fail to pay your premiums on time, you may also incur a late fee of $15.

Application

• Utah offers ongoing CHIP enrollment for eligible children. To apply, visit your local Utah Department of Workforce Services, or request an application by phone at 1-877-543-7669. You may also visit the Utah Department of Health's website to complete and submit an electronic application, or download and print a paper application to submit by mail.