The state is looking for an estimated 14,000 medically uninsured children so it can draw on more than $35 million available in federal funds to insure them before losing the money. Medical insurance
is available for kidsSome $35 million in fed funds
is allotted and the state
must use part of it or lose itBy Helen Altonn
haltonn@starbulletin.comMary Rydell, regional director for the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Service, said the state will lose more than $14 million at the end of next month if it isn't spent.
The money is given to states on a 70/30 percent matching basis to cover children under the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Matching state funds are authorized in Hawaii from the tobacco settlement fund.
"If the available allotment for the fiscal year is not spent, if you don't claim it by a particular time, it's put back in the pot and redistributed to states or territories that have used the allotment," Rydell said.
Hawaii Covering Kids, a Hawaii Primary Care Association project to enroll children in free health insurance programs, today launched a back-to-school campaign to reach the largest uninsured population -- adolescents.
Nina Tom of Pearl City said she told her 13-year-old son to stop playing basketball or any other sports when her husband was laid off from his masonry job and lost health coverage for the children.
She works full-time but couldn't afford an extra $300 to $400 a month to add the children to her health plan, she said. She said she had to pay out of pocket to take her 5-year-old daughter to the doctor because of a fever and to get a physical exam and vaccinations required for school.
She learned of Hawaii Covering Kids through her job, she said, and applied for coverage with help from Barbara Luksch, Hawaii Covering Kids project director.
Eight out of 10 uninsured island children have working parents but about 75 percent of the families don't have health coverage for their children through their jobs, according to the project.
"It is startling to see how many kids are needlessly uninsured," said Luksch.
Besides CHIP, the free insurance programs for children include QUEST, Medicaid Fee-for-Service (for blind and disabled children) and programs for immigrants and citizens of the Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia and Palau.
Health care services under QUEST and Medicaid include regular check-ups, doctor visits, emergency care, eyeglasses, immunizations, counseling, prescription medicines and dental care.
Families with income up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level are eligible for CHIP. For example, a four-member family earning about $3,470 a month or a six-member family earning $4,650 could qualify.
The poverty line for Med-QUEST is 100 percent.
Rep. Dennis Arakaki (D, Kamehameha Heights-Kalihi Valley) and Sen. Suzanne Chun Oakland (D, Alewa Heights-Kalihi-Nuuanu-Palama-Puunui) want the poverty level increased to 300 percent for CHIP.
"It's a good investment when we're talking about children's health," Arakaki said. And with the potential loss of millions of federal dollars, he added, "That's all the more reason why we should increase eligibility to cover as many kids as we can under CHIP."
Many families are slightly above the income limit for free children's insurance and must choose between buying private insurance or groceries when money is available to help them, Luksch said.
The legislators and School Superintendent Pat Hamamoto joined health officials and representatives of other organizations today in kicking off a teen outreach campaign at Farrington High School.
Children without medical insurance are more likely to miss school because of illness, which can affect their academic work, Hamamoto said, stressing that "healthy kids are better prepared to learn."
Hawaii Covering Kids