Office of Governor Gary Locke
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - September 11, 2000
Contact:  Governor's Communications Office, 360-902-4136

Governor launches enrollment drive, public service announcement to help children get health insurance

OLYMPIA - Declaring that no child should go without medical treatment, Governor Gary Locke today launched a Healthy Kids Now! enrollment drive to provide affordable medical care coverage to nearly 100,000 children in low-income families.

"Too many kids are going without essential medical care, and that's unacceptable in a society as affluent as ours is," Locke said. "In response, we've made more children eligible for health care, but we still face a challenge in making them aware of these benefits."

As part of the campaign to spread the word, Locke unveiled a televised public service announcement (PSA) that will be aired statewide between September 15, 2000 and December 31, 2000. It features Locke conducting a Healthy Kids Now! news conference with children reporters.

"The children are our future. We don't let them go hungry at lunchtime, and it is about time that we also made sure that they don't go to school with untreated illnesses," Locke said. "Healthy kids do better in school. That makes Healthy Kids Now! an up-front investment that makes sense."

Local state outreach workers were also on hand at today's event to enroll children in either the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) or Medicaid. Both programs fall under the Healthy Kids Now! umbrella.

The Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) is a partnership between the state and the federal government to offer health insurance to children in families with incomes higher than current Medicaid limits. Families cannot make more than 200 percent of the federal poverty level to qualify for Medicaid. Last year, the state Legislature passed Governor Locke's CHIP legislation that provides coverage for children under the age of 19 whose family incomes are up to 250 percent of the federal poverty level. CHIP makes benefits available to up to 15,000 more children than the 80,000 who qualify for Medicaid coverage but aren't enrolled.

The CHIP and Medicaid benefit packages are the same and include check-ups, immunizations, prescription drugs, hospital care, dental and vision coverage and more. The CHIP program requires a monthly premium and modest co-payments. Medicaid has neither premiums nor co-payments. Families who apply are first considered for Medicaid and then for CHIP.

Under Medicaid, a family of three could earn up to $2,359 a month and still qualify for medical benefits. CHIP extends the benefits to families with incomes of up to $2,948 per month.

Since the Healthy Kids Now! campaign launch in February, more than 5,000 calls have been handled by the hotline, nearly 2,100 children have been found eligible for CHIP, and Medicaid enrollments have increased substantially. The state Department of Social and Health Services' Medical Assistance Administration administers the program. Families interested in learning more about it or applying for coverage should call 1-877-KIDS-NOW (1-877-543-7669) for more information.

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