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Missouri Health Insurance for Kids

Both the US Congress and the Missouri State Legislature have committed a great deal of public funds to ensuring that children in Missouri have access to quality health care, even if they come from families with limited incomes.

  1. Eligibility

    • The State of Missouri's MO HealthNet for Kids program provides free or reduced cost insurance for minors, provided they meet the eligibility criteria. The child must have a Social Security number, or have applied for one, live in Missouri with an intent to remain and be a U.S. citizen or legal resident. To qualify, the parents income must fall below limits set by the Missouri legislature. For a child under 1 year of age, the limit is 185 percent of the federal poverty level; for a child aged 1 through 5, the income limit is 133 percent of the federal poverty level; and for a child aged 6 through 18, the child's countable family income must be at the federal poverty line or below. The federal poverty line varies by the size of the family and can be found at the MO Healthnet for Kids website.

    SCHIP

    • The State Children's Health Insurance Program also provides for somewhat expanded eligibility. If a family has a net worth of less than $250,000, gross income of between 150 and 300 percent of the federal poverty line and children are uninsured for six months, they may be eligible for a subsidized medical insurance plan. The family may have to pay a monthly premium, however, if income is above 150 percent of the federal poverty level. The family's premium payment is capped at 5 percent of annual income.

    Group Plans

    • If you do not qualify for HealthNet for Kids or SCHIP and you have the option, you can add your child to a workplace group insurance policy. Generally, you can add the child within 30 days of the child's birth or adoption. If you do not add the child then, you may need to wait until your plan's open enrollment period that typically occurs once or twice per year.

    Private Coverage

    • You can also purchase a family insurance policy on the private insurance market. These policies cover one or both spouses and all children under a single combined premium. These policies can be pricey and are medically underwritten. The Affordable Care Act of 2009 has limited insurance companies' ability to deny coverage to children based on any preexisting conditions. They can, however, charge more than for a healthy child.

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