DHH Wins Federal Approval for LaCHIP Expansion

Program to cover uninsured children up to 250 % of the Federal Poverty Level

On Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2008, the Department of Health and Hospitals’ Louisiana Children’s Health Insurance Program (LaCHIP) received federal approval to expand its coverage to uninsured children in working families earning up to 250 percent of the Federal Poverty Level. Enrollment for the expanded program, which will include a modest premium and co-payments, is slated for May 2008.

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, DHH Secretary Alan Levine and Kerry Weems, Acting Administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), announced plans for the expansion during a press event hosted by Gov. Jindal at the state capitol.

Under this LaCHIP expansion, enrollment will be extended to uninsured children in families that have incomes up to 250 percent of the 2008 federal poverty level ($53,000 for a family of four). A premium will be required for the new expansion group. Applicants must be uninsured for the previous 12 months.

DHH is still in the process of establishing procedures for the expansion, but the benefit package will be modeled after the state’s employee benefit plan.

Photos from the press conference announcing the expansion are posted below. Click on the image to view the image in a larger size.

To view the latest LaCHIP enrollment numbers, click here.

To read the latest news on the expansion, click here.

To view the CMS press release announcing the expansion, click here.

For a copy of the 2008 Federal Poverty Level chart, click here.