June 28, 2004 LaCHIP Hits “Century Mark”More than 100,000 children currently enrolled

Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Jun 28, 2004 -

Baton Rouge --- In its sixth year of existence, the Louisiana Children’s Health Insurance Program (LaCHIP) has hit the “century mark.” The 100,061 children currently enrolled in LaCHIP are children whose parents earn too much to qualify for traditional Medicaid and would not otherwise be eligible for state-funded health insurance.

Louisiana children up to the age of 19 can qualify for coverage under LaCHIP using higher income standards than those used for traditional Medicaid.  For example, a family of four now can earn about $3,230 a month and get health insurance for their children with no enrollment fees, no premiums, no co-payments and no deductibles.

“The increased enrollment of children into the program reflects the need among working class families and how the state can offer supports in tough economic times,” said Dr. Fred Cerise, LDH Secretary. “For example, LDH staff throughout the state are working with the Department of Labor to inform affected employees of companies making large layoffs about LaCHIP and other health insurance options available through the state Medicaid program.”

Participation in the Department of Labor’s “Rapid Response Teams” has proven to be a successful tool for enrolling eligible children and is an example of the collaboration between agencies that Gov. Blanco expects, Cerise said.

One of the commitments the Department of Health agreed to as part of the Governor’s Health Care Summit, which took place in March, was to enroll as many children as possible into LaCHIP.

For more complete income guidelines or to obtain an application/renewal form, visit the newly revised LaCHIP Web site at: www.lachip.org or call toll-free, 1-877-2LaCHIP (252-2447).

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