April 1998

UPDATED

Child Health Plus: Health Insurance for Children

New York State has a program for subsidizing the cost of private health insurance for lower income families. The program, Child Health Plus, is available for children who reside in New York; are under 19; are not eligible for Medicaid and who have limited or no health insurance. Child Health Plus is also available to families with higher incomes but they will have to make a payment to enroll. This payment will vary depending on the size of family income but can be less than what private insurance would otherwise cost. Families can be eligible for Child Health Plus even if the parents are working. Child Health Plus covers the following services:

• well-child care
• diagnosis and treatment of illness and injury
• x-rays and lab tests
• outpatient surgery
• emergency care
• prescription drugs
• inpatient hospital medical and surgical care
• short-term therapeutic outpatient services (chemotherapy, hemodialysis)
• limited outpatient treatment for alcoholism and substance abuse and mental health.

NEW EXPANDED BENEFIT PACKAGE

In 1998, New York adopted legislation expanding the benefits available under Child Health Plus. Among the new benefts are routine vision and routine dental care and nonprescription drugs.

To get more information about Child Health Plus visit the website of the New York Health Plan Association  or call 1-800-698-4KIDS (1-800-698-4543) or the New York State Hotline at 1-800-522-5006 (ask for Child Health Plus).

The New York Child Health Plus statute is set forth in New York Public Health Law sections 2510 and 2511.

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