2/6/2008
CDF-RGV announces Children's Health Insurance Awareness Month
McALLEN, February 12 - The outlook is getting better, but Texas can do much, much, more in providing health coverage for its children, according to the Children's Defense Fund-Rio Grande Valley.
February is Children's Health Insurance Awareness Month and the CDF-RGV, along with other state and local child advocate groups, held a news conference at El Milagro Clinic in McAllen to begin a major enrollment drive.
Enrollment across the state has increased by 52,000 children since policy changes brought about by HB 109 during the 80th Legislature took effect. And CDF leaders say they are hopeful that an additional enrollment increase is on the way in March and April.
"It will be interesting to see," said Barbara Best, Texas' CDF executive director. "We know HB 109, that the Legislature passed, is supposed to increase enrollment by 127,000 children by 2009. So far enrollment is up by 52,000 children. We are going to be closely looking at those March and April numbers but we expect a significant increase."
Texas has the most uninsured children, 1.5 million or one in five children. Of that 1.5 million, about 850,000 children are eligible for CHIP but do not receive it, Best said.
"I do think it's important to note that overall across Texas we have seen a rise in CHIP numbers," Best said. "Of course every region has to look at their own and some haven't gone up as much as others but overall we have been pretty successful since September.
Enrollment immediately after the CHIP changes was 336,076 statewide and 27,778 for the Valley, as of October 2007, according to the CDF. This represents an increase of 1,420 for the Valley and 16,815 across Texas.
A January 2008 report by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission found that 352,891 of 850,000 estimated eligible Texas children had CHIP coverage. In the four-county Valley area, the number was 29,198 of an estimated 83,943.
"We expect that in March to see a real spike in enrollment because of the new 12-month eligibility for CHIP," said Dr. Laura Guerra-Cardius, CDF’s new Texas policy director.
Up until September, families had to reapply every six months.
"So we're expecting not only to have the new enrollments, but to not lose a lot of the children that get lost sometimes when you have to reapply," Guerra-Cardius said. "So we are hopeful there will be a big spike to help us get to the 127,000 predicted increase in enrollment after the really wonderful changes of the 2007 Legislature.”
Changes include 12 month coverage, the end of a 90-day waiting period for newly enrolled children, and premiums between zero and $50 annually for children 18 years of age and younger depending on family income.
State Rep. Veronica Gonzales, D-McAllen, co-authored the bill to improve CHIP. Gonzales, a member of the House Public Health Committee, sits on the advisory board of CDF.
"I have a personal commitment to it. I want to see children well. I think it benefits all of our community," Gonzales said. "We are always thinking of ideas on how we can get the word out more, how we can raise money for awareness programs, and we'll continue to do that.”
Gonzales said the anticipated increase in enrollment was a “real success story,” which showed that CHIP works.
“Enrollment
has increased, and now we have to do the same for Medicaid, because Medicaid
families have to reapply every six months and the state can't keep up with all
that paperwork,” Gonzales said. “So, as we think about the 2009
Legislature we are eager to simplify Medicaid the same as CHIP.”