Texas Health Insurance For The Kids Of Low-Income State Employees

Before the health care reform law of President Obama, kids of low-income state workers were not allowed under the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). But now, Texas has embraced this option and gave low-income state employees the chance to have their kids enrolled in the program and get health care.

Since 1997, the federal government had closed that option because they were wary that it would create an easy way for financially strapped states to shift the health care costs of some public-employee to the federal government. The CHIP program is jointly financed by the states and the federal government. It gives health coverage to the uninsured children of families who earn too much to qualify for Medicaid but cannot afford to buy private Texas health insurance from insurance companies.

In these tough economic times we have seen a lot of state employees being laid-off and wages have been frozen and cut, stated Steven Kreisberg, Director of Collective Bargaining and Health Care Policy at the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. He continued, the ability to take part in CHIP is very crucial for families.

According to the Program Manager at the National Academy for State Health Policy, Leigha Basini, "It potentially is a win-win for the states and the employees." CHIP would potentially increase savings and expand healthcare coverage to children.

Texas Health Insurance Expanded Access For Kids

Despite programs created by the government to cut down the number of uninsured children in Texas, a survey from the Robert Wood John Foundation revealed that 40 percent of children in Texas still lack health coverage. Having a Texas health insurance plan to cover children is very vital because the outcome of delayed treatments is usually fatal. The research showed that almost 60 percent of children with no health coverage die in the hospital compared to those protected with a Texas health plan.

Aside from CHIP, the health care reform also prohibited TX health insurance companies from denying coverage to children with pre-existing conditions. Current health plans after the 2010 Affordable Care Act provides preventive health care services with no out-of-pocket cost whether or not you met your annual deductible. Meaning, you don't have to worry about paying deductibles, co-pays or co-insurance as long as you go to a doctor within the network list.

Preventive care for kids include immunizations, anemia correction through iron supplementation, well baby check-ups, and screening procedures for health conditions including Rh incompatibility, Hepatitis B, sickle cell anemia, vision and hearing problems, and even autism.

Besides health, you can also protect your young ones from accidental injuries. The cost of medical treatment for accidental injuries might shock you. With a broken arm, it can cost you an out-of-pocket expense of $2,500. What a shocker, right? When you have a supplemental accident insurance plan, you only have to pay a $100 deductible and expenses will be covered up to the maximum coverage you select for your family. If you go with the $10,000 coverage and two of your family members get into an accident, both of them will be covered with $10,000 each. You get $10,000 coverage per member per incident.