Get Kids Covered

Where We Stand

Kentucky Voices for Health Applauds Governor
on the Elimination of KCHIP Premiums
 

Kentucky Voices for Health commends Governor Beshear for taking action to suspend the monthly premiums for eligible children in the Kentucky Children’s Health Insurance Program (KCHIP).  The General Assembly recently included funding to suspend KCHIP premiums in their final budget passed in May 2010. The $20 monthly premiums for families to cover their children was a barrier to enrollment and hindered access to dental, medical, vision, hearing, mental health, hospitalizations and many other health services that are covered by KCHIP.

“The elimination of the KCHIP premiums will keep the Commonwealth’s youth healthier by ensuring sustained health care coverage,” stated Jodi Mitchell, Executive Director of Kentucky Voices for Health.  “The Governor’s action to assist families in these tough economic times will positively impact over 16,000 Kentucky children.”

Kentucky Voices for Health has partnered with the KCHIP program to increase the enrollment of children in KCHIP and Medicaid to ensure that Kentucky’s children have health coverage.  The coalition has been involved in expanded outreach efforts to encourage families to understand the simplified enrollment and re-enrollment process.

“This is another important step in keeping kids healthy and thriving and reducing health costs associated with providing care to uninsured children.” added Sheila Schuster, Co-Chair of Kentucky Voices for Health.  “Health coverage provides a foundation for ongoing development during the critical years of life. Investing in KCHIP provides a great return both for Kentucky’s families and the state’s taxpayers.
 
For more information, visit http://kidshealth.ky.gov.  KCHIP members with questions about premium payments are encouraged to call (800) 635-2570.

 

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Programs Critical to KY Families During Recession

Child poverty is on the rise in Kentucky and unemployment hovers near double digits. However, a new report stresses that support programs can make a difference – if families take advantage of them.  The results from the latest KIDS COUNT County Data Book make a strong case for improving access to programs like SNAP (formerly known as food stamps), free and reduced-price school meals, and child care subsidies. There is another program more families could tap into as well, he says. The KIDS COUNT County Data Book is available at www.kyyouth.org.

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Kentucky Voices for Health  “Covering Kids” Policy Brief


Two-thirds of children in Kentucky who do not have health coverage (62,500) are eligible but not signed up for the Kentucky Child Health Insurance Program (KCHIP). Small changes in KCHIP could dramatically increase child health coverage in Kentucky and reduce health costs associated with providing care to uninsured children.

Did You Know?

Study Reveals Overwhelming Parent Support for Healthier Schools  The vast majority of parents want schools to limit students' access to high-calorie chips, sodas and candy and to offer them opportunities for physical activity throughout the day, a new survey by the Alliance for a Healthier Generation shows. The national survey signals the breadth of parents' support for changes to make schools healthier places—and their willingness to help make those changes happen. In fact, nearly eight in 10 parents are ready to get more involved to create a healthier environment in their local schools. Learn more about the survey and findings at http://www.healthiergeneration.org/
 

Kentucky's youth are lacking in fruit and vegetable consumption: Only 6.1% of Kentucky’s high school students ate fruit at least twice per day and vegetables at least three times per day in 2007. This is just one of many results found in The State Indicator Report on Fruits and Vegetables, 2009 released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The data, taken from the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System, 2007, highlights a complex issue concerning the overall health of Kentucky’s youth. Poor nutrition is a major factor of obesity. Kentucky has one of the highest childhood overweight and obesity rates in the United States. The CDC report also provides a National Action Guide with recommendations for change. For more findings and data, view documents here.

States move forward on child and family health coverage despite tough economic climate
:  A first look at state activity after the passage of CHIPRA and the availability of increased Medicaid funding in the economic stimulus package finds that, despite unprecedented fiscal challenges, all but a few states held steady on children's health coverage—and twenty-three states took steps to move forward. This progress on children's coverage has important implications as the nation moves forward with health reform.  Weathering the Storm, September 2009, Georgetown University Center for Children and Families.

School-Based Health Centers are comprehensive health centers right in a school. They can provide a variety of services including diagnosis and treatment of illnesses, physicals, sports physicals and immunizations. Some provide oral and mental health services. Check out this comprehensive guide to starting a center.

The number of Kentucky children who got health coverage through KCHIP went down from 2002 through 2006. In 2004 the program hit a low: it covered 4390 children less than in 2002. Only in 2007 did enrollment catch up to where it was five years earlier. Source: SCHIP Enrollment in June 2007, Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured, January 2008.

Get Kids Covered!

Know More!

  • State Health Facts: Start by clicking Kentucky on the U.S. map, or “Medicaid and SCHIP” on the menu. Tons of facts and figures.
  • The Commonwealth Fund: Click “Charts” and “State Score Card.” The U.S. map takes you to “State Performance Profiles.”
  • Cover the Uninsured: Facts, figures and colorful charts on kids and health coverage. Part of the “Let’s Get America Covered” campaign.

See our “Research” page for lots more.

“Go To” Groups

Kentucky Voices for Health members often go to these groups for help on covering kids policy issues and advocacy:

Center on Budget and Policy Priorities: Well-respected work on lots of health topics. Follow “Areas of Research” to “Health Policies” and you’ll find Improving Children's Health: A Chartbook about the Roles of Medicaid and SCHIP, 2007 Edition

Community Catalyst: Policy work with a focus on empowering consumer groups.

Families USA: The Voice for Health Care Consumers

Families USA: Lots of useful background, including a section on Children’s Health. Make sure to check the Resources section for useful Advocacy Tools. And check out the map on State Coverage Expansions.

State Resource Center

Georgetown University Health Policy Institute: Center for Children and Families: Our friends at Georgetown have a special resource center for covering kids.

Counties Count

In Caldwell county, an estimated 165 children are uninsured, even though they are eligible for KCHIP or Medicaid coverage.

Click
here to find out how many kids are eligible but uninsured in your county!


Help

Trouble getting children covered in Kentucky? Click below to contact Covering Kentucky Kids and Families. Or call 1-859-323-4747.