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Healthy Kids Insurance Programs

The Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) was authorized by the U.S. Congress in 1997. It encouraged the improvement of the patchwork state health insurance programs for low-income children with a more uniform standard by providing funds to upgrade individual state programs. CHIP was optional, but within two years all 50 states had decided to participate. The state of Florida already had a well-regarded health insurance program for low-income children called Healthy Kids, and it was one of three state programs grandfathered into the original CHIP legislation. Over the years, several other states have also named their low-income children's health insurance programs Healthy Kids.

  1. The CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2009

    • The CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2009 provided additional funds and direction to the state-administered CHIP programs. It prioritized insurance for the lowest-income children and provided funds to set up programs to transition young adults turning 18 to Medicaid. It also encouraged states to reach out to low-income families, loosen eligibility and improve enrollment. The act also improved the quality of care for children with new initiatives in patient-needs assessment and streamlining health-care management through the use of electronic records.

    Florida Healthy Kids

    • The Healthy Kids program in Florida is one of three programs that make up KidCare, Florida's comprehensive health care system for children. The other two programs are Medicaid and MediKids. Healthy Kids is a health insurance program that is open to all children ages 5 to 18 in Florida. Healthy Kids insurance includes doctor visits, preventive dental, emergency room care and hospital stays. It is a means-based program, where families pay according to family size and income. Most families only have to pay $15 to $20 a month. Families with higher incomes pay more and, in some cases, are on the full-pay plan which is competitive with private health insurance rates.

    New Hampshire Healthy Kids

    • New Hampshire Healthy Kids is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization providing health insurance for low-income children. Uninsured children in New Hampshire can join Healthy Kids to get low-cost or free insurance coverage for all of their health- and dental-related needs. The coverage focuses on preventive care and is designed as a comprehensive health insurance program for children. New Hampshire Healthy Kids works together with the NH Department of Health and Human Services, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care and Northeast Delta Dental.

    Oregon Healthy Kids

    • Oregon's Healthy Kids plan is similar to that in other states. The legislature approved the Healthy Kids program in early 2009, deciding to fund the state's portion through a 1 percent tax on private health insurance premiums. Over 30,000 low-income children out of an estimated 65,000 eligible have enrolled. Oregon, like some other states, also has a related program called KidsConnect that uses some of these CHIP and state-matched funds to subsidize the enrollment of lower and moderate income families in private insurance plans.

    Michigan Healthy Kids/Medicaid

    • In Michigan, low-income children are offered health insurance through two programs--MIChild and Healthy Kids/Medicaid. The Healthy Kids/Medicaid program offers subsidized health insurance for low-income families and their children. Pregnant women, babies and children under the age of 19 are all eligible. Healthy Kids/Medicaid insurance covers regular visits to the doctor, immunizations, prenatal care, hospital stays, mental health care and dental care.

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