State makes headway on enrolling children in Medicaid insurance programs

Kentucky is not usually forward on health issues. But Gov. Steve Beshear said his administration effort to improve the health of Kentuckians' is ahead of the game. Beshear went to Second Street Elementary School in Frankfurt on Monday morning to announce that the state has enrolled 32,000 children who qualify, K of the state in CHIP and Medicaid programs for health insurance since last October. Last fall, Beshear aim at a target enrollment of 35,000 children by June 2010 and said Monday that the state can meet the goal by the end of 2009. Insurance Program Kentucky Children and K-Chip says children from families at or below 200 percent of federal poverty level (approximately $ 44,000 for a family of four). These children are from families, according to Vikki Franklin, spokesman for the Council of Ministers of Health and Family Services, who earn too much to qualify for Medicaid but can not afford private insurance. Those who meet eligibility guidelines for Medicaid are enrolled in that program. Both programs are largely federally funded. Janie Miller, secretary of the Council of Ministers of Health and Family Services, said the total cost of 32,000 additional children enrolled in both programs is approximately $ 78,000, 20 percent of which is paid by the State and the remainder by the federal government. Miller also said the state's largest Medicaid federal parties exploited to help absorb the status of the additional costs. These funds are scheduled to end in December 2010. When Beshear fall last call to increase the enrollment, about 53,000 children in Kentucky were insured under both programs, but an estimated 67,000 were eligible but not enrolled. The state streamlined the enrollment procedures and hiring schools, local health departments and community agencies to help get the word out to eligible families and help them enroll. The state made it possible to register online and eliminates the requirement for face to face interviews before enrolling. It worked. About 2,500 enrolled in each month since the program began. Beshear, but said it still does not meet the real needs of eligible children and the State will continue to try to enroll as many as possible. "The State shall endeavor to sign all eligible families, because I think we have a moral obligation to all children," said Beshear. He said the number of eligible children and increase enrollment reflects the state of the economy. And "access to quality, affordable health care is increasingly difficult for Kentucky families who have lost their jobs or homes, he added. "Meeting our goal ahead of schedule also serves as an indicator of the state of our economy and shows the effect it has on the daily lives of families," said Beshear. The executive director of Advocates for Youth Kentucky, a nonprofit organization in Louisville that advocates for issues affecting children and families with low incomes, Beshear commended for the program and its success. KYA Terry Brooks said the state government has pressed for years "to see families as clients and not as a burden on the budget. The K Beshear government saw the potential for chip families as clients. "