Many Children to Qualify for Health Insurance

The economic recession has turned the financial situation of many families upside down. These days, you don’t need to be “poor” to be in need. Many middle class families who have been hit hard by the job recession are losing resources to make their payment obligations, from loans to insurance. And this new financial dilemma can have drastic consequences. For instance, children become at risk of being left uninsured because their parents simply can’t afford health insurance for them.

The government, however, has taken huge strides to ensure that affordable health coverage is available to children, even those belonging to middle-class families. Government programs like Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) have expanded their imposed income limits to make more children qualify. People don’t have to be living below the poverty line to get these benefits.

The expanded limits are yielding promising results. As is usually the case, when the poverty rate is up, the number of insured adults drops. But in the case of children, the Census Bureau reported that roughly 91% of children under the age of 19 were insured in 2009. That is higher than the record-setting 90.3% statistic in 2008.

Expanded limits make a difference

Children who belong in a family of four with a household income of up to $44,100 may be eligible for some form of government health insurance. For states with a higher cost of living, the allowable income limits are increased accordingly. For instance, the cut-off for a family of four in New Jersey is set at $77,175. In New York, the limit is set even higher at $88,200.

Although these expanded limits are a boon to struggling families, many children are still left uninsured because many people are simply unaware of these expanded limits.

If you are struggling financially, don’t be afraid to inquire about these plans. Even if you didn’t qualify a few years ago, that won’t necessarily mean that you won’t qualify for them now. Simply asking can ease some of your financial burdens.