Public Health to Enroll Uninsured Children In the State’s “All Kids” Health Insurance Program
 |
 |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 7, 2006
Contact
Diana Yates, Communications Coordinator
(217) 531-4275
Public Health to Enroll Uninsured Children In the State’s “All Kids” Health Insurance Program
Parents Who Lack Health Insurance May Pre-Register Their Kids Now
Employed or unemployed parents who lack health insurance for their children may pre-register for the state of Illinois’ “All Kids” program, a health insurance plan for uninsured children that will begin July 1, 2006. Public Health staff are already preregistering families for this program, and encourage anyone with an uninsured child to schedule an appointment to pre-register for the plan.
Parents of children who are already enrolled in the KidCare program will automatically be enrolled in All Kids. They do not need to reapply.
In addition to continuing coverage to children currently enrolled in KidCare, All Kids will offer free or low-cost health insurance to children who currently lack health insurance and to those who were previously ineligible due to their citizenship status. According to state health officials, All Kids will cost most families a lot less than private health insurance. For example, a family of four that earns $50,000 per year will pay $40 per month for each child, plus a $10 co-pay for each doctor visit.
Total costs for each family will vary by income. The lowest-income families will pay no monthly premiums and make no co-payments, while those with higher incomes will pay monthly premiums of $15 to $300 per child and yearly co-payments ranging from $100 per family to $5,000 per child. (The highest income families will pay a monthly premium of $300 per child and will have no cap on their yearly co-payments.)
All services currently available to children on KidCare will be offered under the All Kids program, except for non-emergency medical transportation. The plan will include benefits for: doctor services, care at health clinics and hospitals, prescription drugs, dental care, vision care, laboratory tests and x-rays, family planning and birth control, alcohol and substance abuse treatment, psychiatric and mental health care, physical and occupational therapy, kidney dialysis and a host of other medical and behavioral health services.
Pre-registration at the Public Health District will ensure that eligible families will be enrolled in the program in time for the July 1 start date. To make an appointment to pre-register your child, please call the Public Health Division of Maternal & Child Health Management, at (217) 531-4306.
###