S-CHIP

Who is Eligible for S-CHIP?

In most states, children 18 and younger are eligible. Parents and legal guardians can apply for this insurance for their children. Many states also allow grandparents and others to apply for a child.

In most states, children are eligible if their family’s income is at or below 200 percent (twice as much or less) of the Federal Poverty Level. In 2004, this would be an annual income before taxes of $36,801 for a family of four; $30,521 for a family of three; and $43,081 for a family of five. A number of states have higher income limits. A few have lower income limits.

There may be expenses you can subtract from your income, such as childcare costs, in arriving at the income amount that is reviewed for eligibility. Each state’s application will tell you what these expenses might be.

In addition, your child won't be eligible if:

• The child is covered under other health insurance plans, including private insurance or Medicaid.
• The child is not a U.S. citizen, a U.S. non-citizen national, or a qualified immigrant.

To apply for S-SCHIP, you need only provide the immigration status information for the child. You may also need to provide the child's social security number. The parents of the child, however, do not need to provide this information about themselves.

States cannot deny coverage because of a pre-existing medical condition (medical condition or a disease the child had before applying for S-CHIP). Some states may have waiting periods for coverage of some pre-existing conditions.