Fw: Arc Alert on Changes to All Kids

[Guest guest]

I doubt that this affects our member's loved ones, but, just in case...

Ellen

Ellen Garber Bronfeld

egskb@...

Arc Alert on Changes to All Kids

The Arc of Illinois

March 30, 2011

Leaders in The Arc:

Some children are about to lose their All Kids health insurance coverage!

Read this carefully and share it and the attachments with other advocates.

Please share your stories with us so we can put a face on this awful change. A

Family Story form is attached to this email. Tell us about your situation, and

we will get back to you! We are here to help you.

Starting on July 1, 2011, the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family

Services (HFS) is making changes in who will be allowed to purchase (buy in) to

All Kids for their children up to age 18 who do not have health insurance.

Please note that this change in eligibility only applies to those families who

currently pay for their children to get insurance from All Kids.

Until June 30, 2011, families at any income level whose children do not

have insurance will be allowed to buy in to All Kids.

After July 1st, only families whose children do not have insurance AND

who meet the new family income limit will be allowed to buy in to All Kids.

Families who are already buying in to All Kids for their children and

have incomes over the new limit will only be able to continue their coverage

until June 30, 2012.

This new income limit does not apply to children who have white All Kids

cards (including children enrolled in Medicaid waivers).

The attached fact sheet has more details about this upcoming change in income

eligibility.

For more information, please contact The Arc of Illinois Family to Family Health

Information Center at 866-931-1110 or familytofamily@...

..

Tony auski

The Arc of Illinois

815-464-1832

Attention Families Who Are Paying Monthly Premiums for All Kids Insurance

Due to a new law passed in Illinois, some families will no longer

be able to pay for their children to get All Kids Insurance.

When will this change take place?

On July 1, 2011

Who will be affected by the change?

Families whose annual income is over 300% of the Federal Poverty Level

(FPL) will no longer be allowed to enroll their uninsured children in All Kids.

Families whose children are currently enrolled and whose annual income is

over 300% FPL will be able to continue the childrens All Kids coverage until

6/30/12.

These families will be notified by the Illinois Department of Healthcare

and Family Services (HFS) that they need to try to find other insurance options

for their children.

What is the income limit for 300% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL)?[1]

Remember that family size refers to the number of parents and children in the

family, but the All Kids insurance is only for the children under age 19.

Here is the 300% FPL annual income limit by family size, updated for 2011:

http://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty/11poverty.shtml

o Family size of 2: $44,130

o Family size of 3: $55,590

o Family size of 4: $67,050

o Family size of 5: $78,510

o Family size of 6: $89,970

What should families do if they are concerned about their children losing All

Kids insurance under the new law?

If you are currently thinking about applying for All Kids, or waiting to

complete your application, you should enroll right away.

You can find an All Kids enrollment agent in your area by calling the All

Kids Hotline at

1-866-ALL-KIDS (1-866-255-5437) TTY: 1-877-204-1012 or click here and enter your

zip code: www.allkids.com/akaa/search

If your child has special health needs, a chronic illness and/or a

disability (referred to as a pre-existing condition), you can call these numbers

for more information:

o Family Voices Illinois/Family to Family Health Information & Education

Center: 866-931-1110 or familytofamily@... or

www.familyvoicesillinois.org

o The Illinois Maternal and Child Health Coalition: 312-491-8161or

www.ilmaternal.org

If your childs doctor says that s/he will need medical tests, treatments,

surgery, dental care, eyeglasses, special equipment, therapy, medicines or other

procedures, be sure to get needed prescriptions and schedule appointments as

soon as possible.

My child participates in a Medicaid waiver. My family income is over 300% FPL.

Will the law affect my childs eligibility for the waiver?[2]

At the present time, the waivers will continue to waive (not count)

parental income, as long as the child meets the eligibility criterion based on

their disability and/or medical needs. Your child who is enrolled in one of the

waivers will continue with their current Medicaid coverage. It is possible that

this may change in the future, however, based on language contained in the new

law.[3]

If you have other children who are enrolled in All Kids, in addition to the

child who is enrolled in a waiver program, AND your family income is over 300%

FPL, those children will not be able to continue on All Kids after 6/30/2012.

What else can I do to find health insurance for my children?

The federal government has a new website, www.healthcare.gov. You can

visit this site, select Illinois as your state, enter information about your

family and get a menu of possible options.

Contact the Illinois Comprehensive Health Insurance Plan (ICHIP), our

states high risk pool, for enrollment information:

www.chip.state.il.us/default.htm or 866-851-2751.

If your child has high medical expenses, look into HFSs Medical Spend-down

Program: www.hfs.illinois.gov/medicalbrochures/hfs591sp.html or call

217-782-6333.

If you have difficulty finding health insurance, please contact:

o Illinois Maternal & Child Health Coalition

www.ilmaternal.org

312-491-8161

o Health & Disability Advocates

www.hdadvocates.org

312-223-9600

Where can I find more information about the new law?

www.ilmaternal.org/imchcanalysisSB5420.pdf

Family Voices of Illinois

The Arc of Illinois

Family to Family Health Information and Education Center

www.familyvoicesillinois.org familytofamily@...

708-560-6703 (voice) 866-931-1110 (toll free for Illinois families)

Released 2/8/2011

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[1] http://www.safetyweb.org/tools/fplcalc2009.asp

[2] For info on Illinois Medicaid waivers see : www.hfs.illinois.gov/hcbswaivers

[3] Fore more information, please contact the Illinois Life Span Project at

www.illinoislifespan.org or 1-800-588-7002.

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