MEDICAID & THE CHILDREN’S HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM (CHIP)  

• If you are eligible for health coverage from your employer, but are unable to afford the premiums, some States have premium assistance programs that can help pay for coverage.  These States use funds from their Medicaid or CHIP programs to help people who are eligible for employer-sponsored health coverage, but need assistance in paying their health premiums. 

• If you or your dependents are already enrolled in Medicaid or CHIP, and you live in a state offering assistance (Florida), you can contact the Children's Health Insurance Plan or your State Medicaid office to find out if premium assistance is available. 

• If you or your dependents are NOT currently enrolled in Medicaid or CHIP, and you think you or any of your dependents might be eligible for either of these programs, you can contact any of the groups listed here to find out how to apply.  If you qualify, you can ask the State if it has a program that might help you pay the premiums for an employer-sponsored plan:
  
• Contact the State Medicaid Office
• Contact the Children's Health Insurance Plan
• Contact INSURE KIDS NOW by calling 1-877-Kids-Now (1-877-543-7669)

• Once it is determined that you or your dependents are eligible for premium assistance under Medicaid or CHIP, your employer’s health plan is required to permit you and your dependents to enroll in the plan – as long as you and your dependents are eligible, but not already enrolled in the employer’s plan.  This is called a “special enrollment” and you must request coverage within 60 days of being determined eligible for premium assistance. 
• As a Florida resident, you may be eligible for assistance paying your employer health plan premiums. 

Child Health Insurance You Can Afford

• MEDIKIDS: children ages 1 through 4.
• HEALTHY KIDS: children ages 5 through 18.
• CHILDREN’S MEDICAL SERVICES NETWORK: children birth through 18 who have special health care needs.
• MEDICAID: children birth through 18. A child who has other health insurance may still qualify for Medicaid.

• Doctor visits
• Check-ups and shots
• Hospital
• Surgery
• Prescriptions
• Emergencies
• Vision and hearing
• Dental
• Mental health 

• Apply online   or 

• Print an Application and Instructions

Obtaining health care coverage is a concern of many Americans, especially for those who recently lost their job resulting in loss of health insurance. While there is no perfect solution, there are some health care programs out there that may help you.

COBRA Coverage:
If your employer continues to operate and offer a group plan, COBRA continuation coverage may be available. It may cost you more than when you were employed, but still likely to be cheaper than private insurance. Through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 certain individuals will be eligible for COBRA cover at a discounted rate. Click here to learn more.

Government Health Care Programs:
Medicaid or Medicare or call 1-800-MEDICARE; Florida State Children's Health Insurance Program and Cover Florida (an affordable health coverage available to uninsured Floridians through a comprehensive market-based strategy).

Public Health Departments:
While Public Health Departments do not replace primary care providers, they do provide some health services for free such as immunizations, smoking cessations programs and more. Click here to learn more about services provided at your local health department.


To help Pasco County residents explore health care options and services, the Pasco County Library System will be holding workshops at the library branches.

Check out the library's Calendar of Events or just show up at one of the workshops listed here:

Tuesday June 2, 2009- 6pm
Centennial Park Library
727.834.3204

Thursday June 11, 2009- 1pm
Hugh Embry Library
352.567.3576

Wednesday June 23, 2009- 2pm
New River Library
813.788.6375

Saturday July 18, 2009- 2pm
Regency Park Library
727.861.3049

Tuesday July 21, 2009- 6pm
Land O Lakes Library
813.929.1214

Wednesday July 29, 2009- 2pm
Hudson Library
727.861.3040

Wednesday August 12, 2009- 6pm
South Holiday Library
727.834.3331

Hope to see you there!

The economy is affecting not only banking and Wall Street executives, but also the average citizen. TBO.com reported yesterday that "the call volume [to the Department of Children and Families' ACCESS Florida line] has risen to 120,000 a day, 40,000 more than a year ago. The number of Floridians using the program is up more than 20 percent statewide and more than 60 percent in some areas."

Do you think you could benefit from food stamps or Medicaid? You can apply online using the ACCESS Florida application.

From the ACCESS Florida webpage:

The ACCESS Florida Applications will not be available on Thursday, August 28th from 8:00 p.m. until Midnight EST because we will be performing maintenance.

If you are working on an ACCESS application at 8:00 p.m., you will be able to log back into the application after the maintenance is complete - you must have the ACCESS Online Number and password created at the beginning of the process to finish your application.

If you are pre-screening to see if you might be eligible for benefits at 8:00 p.m., you may need to start over after the maintenance is complete.

If you are reporting a change at 8:00 p.m., you may need to start over after the maintenance is complete.

If you are using the Automated Response System to get information regarding the status of a recently completed application at 8:00 p.m., you may need to start over after the maintenance is complete.

If you are using the Platinum Community Partner link to get information regarding the status of a recently completed application at 8:00 p.m., you may need to start over after the maintenance is complete.

The following ACCESS Florida Online Applications will not be available, Wednesday June 11th, from 8:00 pm until 11:00 pm EST due to implementation of changes to the Intake Management System:

Web Application
ESS Online applications
Reported Change System
Web ARU
Pre-screening
Platinum Partner
KidCare

Do you need help with the ACCESS Florida online application? Try their online tutorial. It is based on the old application, but the content (what you need to apply, etc.) is the same.

If you are in the Suncoast Region (DeSoto, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas and Sarasota Counties) and you want to go to a brick-and-mortar DCF office, you can find a listing of DCF service center locations here. If you need general information or information about the status of your application, you can try the automated telephone service at 1-866-76ACCESS (1-866-762-2237).

The new online application for ACCESS Florida is scheduled to go live on Wednesday, March 5. It was previously reported that the new application would up and running on Friday, February 29, but the date was recently changed by the Department of Children and Families.

All online applications should be e-signed by March 5. Those applications not e-signed by that date will be purged and the applicants will need to complete a new application.