SOURCE: BestHealthcareRates.com
October 30, 2008 09:05 ET
Thousands of Newly Eligible People Qualify for Low Cost Government Sponsored Health Insurance, Reports BestHealthcareRates.com
ARROYO GRANDE, CA--(Marketwire - October 30, 2008) - www.BestHealthcareRates.com
-- an online service that helps consumers find affordable health insurance,
reports that thousands of newly eligible individuals and families now
qualify for low or no cost government sponsored health insurance plans.
In New York, for example, the income level for a family of four qualifying
for Child Health Plus, the state's kids' insurance program, increased from
$51,625 to $53,000 a year. This is 250% higher than the federal poverty
level. And in California, the income level for a husband and a pregnant
wife qualifying for Access for Infants and Mothers is now $52,800, which is
300% higher than the federal poverty level.
"Other states have made similar changes in their guidelines, which means
that many more people qualify for coverage," said Tom Carolan, Director of
Client Services at BestHealthcareRates.com. Not
all government-sponsored programs are free; many are low cost or target a
specific disease.
For instance, Healthy Families, a federally funded children's health insurance
program, costs $4 to $15 per month. Most families who qualify are unaware
of the program. In California alone, nearly 1 million uninsured children
are eligible for a number of comprehensive health coverage programs
such as Healthy Families, CaliforniaKids, Kaiser Permanente Child Health
Plan and Healthy Kids, but are not enrolled. Among disease-specific
programs are Georgia's plan to provide breast cancer screening for the
uninsured and Texas' program for children with special needs.
According to the National Institute for Health Care Management Foundation,
a quarter of the uninsured... approximately 12 million people, are eligible
for Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program but are not
enrolled. Many of these people are employed and assume that they are
ineligible. However, under the latest federal poverty guidelines, a growing
number of people qualify for government programs.
There are a few obstacles that need to be addressed in order to get more of
the eligible individuals the health insurance plans they qualify for. For
example, government sponsored plans are not well publicized, so people do
not know that they even exist. And, few are leading the charge to market
these kinds of programs. Also, many people do not apply for government
sponsored programs because the application process is so difficult and time
consuming.
For people who cannot afford coverage or who don't qualify, BestHealthcareRates.com can
put them in touch with non-profit groups such as the Foundation for Health
Coverage Education. The foundation helps determine people's eligibility
for government-sponsored healthcare and even helps
them with the application process. "At BestHealthcareRates.com, we
are committed to helping America solve its healthcare crisis by helping the
uninsured find affordable healthcare," said Tom Carolan.
About BestHealthcareRates.com
Since 2001 BestHealthcareRates.com has helped thousands of individuals,
families and businesses find affordable health insurance
coverage. With a commitment to exceptional service and 100% client
satisfaction, BestHealthcareRates.com helps people find the best healthcare rates
available for themselves, their family or their business. For more
information go to: www.BestHealthcareRates.com
(http://www.BestHealthcareRates.com) or call Tom Carolan at 1-877-812-5111.
For more information about The Foundation For Health Insurance Education go
to www.coverageforall.org.