Covering Kids and Families

Parents should watch for the FRN Insurance Surveys coming home in the first few days of school along with the other important paperwork your children bring home.  As families get their children ready for a successful school year, we want them to put enrolling in children’s health care coverage programs at the top of their back-to-school checklists.

The Lewis County Family Resource Network members are trying to make the health coverage issue just a little more attractive by offering their Annual Back-to-School Book Bag Raffle.  Each child listed on a returned completed survey will be entered into the drawing for one of fifteen back packs full of school supplies and cool stuff.  The supplies and other goodies have been donated by the Lewis Co FRN and many of its’ members and supporters.

The FRN does this each year to get families to take a look at the advantages of the WV CHIP program and the eligibility qualifications.  Even families who may have applied and been denied in the past, may now be eligible. 

Of course, some children in West Virginia families are still not insured because mom or dad can’t afford private or employer family insurance plans, but make too much to meet WV CHIP eligibility.  This is a growing concern in West Virginia, based on the calls we receive at the FRN.  Callers share their frustration as more employers drop insurance plans, increase premiums, or keep employers at part-time hours without benefits. The FRN will share this information with legislators and the Governor to remind them of the families who fall through the cracks of our health care system.

WV CHIPS has tried to address this problem by increasing the family income qualifiers and reducing barriers to eligibility by looking at additional family costs which may qualify the children with coverage for a small co-pay. Currently, children in a family of four earning up to $38,700 a year or more may qualify for WV CHIP coverage.  Eligibility is based on family size and income.  Larger families with higher incomes may also be eligible.

The West Virginia Healthy Kids and Families Coalition is part of a national campaign to connect eligible children to affordable health care coverage programs.  An estimated 8.5 million children in America are uninsured, yet MOST of them are eligible for low-cost or free health care coverage.

The FRN survey is trying to identify the numbers of Lewis County children who are not insured.  If they are eligible for WV CHIP, we want to assist their families in applying and getting health coverage as soon as possible.

A healthy child is going to feel well, learn more and achieve greater success as an adult.  Isn’t that what we all want for our children?  Let’s promote a healthy future for West Virginia, starting with our kids. With this nationwide campaign, we hope to reach families that are eligible but don’t realize it.  It’s hard enough on families when a child is sick.  Parents don’t need the added worry of not being able to afford the medical bills that may follow.

To learn more about WV CHIP, families can call toll-free 1-877-WVA-CHIP or 304-354-9244 to speak with a WV CHIP outreach worker.