Indiana expands child health insurance program

from the Munster Times

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- As many as 10,000 Indiana children became eligible Wednesday for the State Children's Health Insurance Program under a recently approved expansion, state officials said.

The expansion of eligibility to children up to age 19 in households earning up to 2.5 times the federal poverty level was approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in May. The new eligibility level is a sliding scale that includes families of two earning up to $35,000 per year and families of four earning up to $53,000.

Families with children newly eligible under the expansion will need to pay higher premiums, the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration said.

Households earning 200 percent to 225 percent the poverty level will pay $42 per month for one child or $53 monthly for two or more children. Households earning 226 percent to 250 percent of the poverty level will pay premiums of $53 for one child or $70 for two or more children.

FSSA estimated more than 5,000 children will gain coverage during the first year of the expansion.

Link to full article. May expire in future.