Bilingual Information Booklet to Aid Parents, Families
Secretary Thompson announced last week that a bilingual information booklet
is now available to help Spanish-speaking parents learn about health
insurance benefits through the State Children's Health Insurance Program
(SCHIP) and Medicaid.
"This new booklet will help to expand health insurance coverage to eligible
children in the Hispanic community by providing information to families
about the benefits available to their kids. States have made the SCHIP
program a dramatic success, and a key element of that is making sure
families sign up their eligible children. The booklet expands our
Spanish-language outreach efforts to help those children," Secretary
Thompson said.
HHS will work with states that want to add information about their programs
to the booklet. HHS will provide booklets to states, community health
centers and other organizations.
The 13-page booklet, written in Spanish and English on alternating pages, is
called "Protect Your Family's Health ... With Confidence." ("Proteja la
Salud de Su Familia ... con Confianza."), and has four sections:
Protect Your Family's Health...With Confidence explains the importance of
health insurance to a child's overall health.
How to Enroll Your Kids in Low-Cost or Free Health Insurance tells readers
how to contact their state's SCHIP program (1-877-543-7669) and the benefits
of enrolling their children in it. This section also explains that parents'
immigration status will not be affected by enrolling their children in
SCHIP.
Common Questions You May Have answers questions dealing with the age of
eligible children, which members of the family may enroll children in SCHIP,
and information family members need to share with SCHIP staff to determine
eligibility.
Your Guide to Frequently Used Words for Receiving Benefits explains terms
such as SCHIP, Medicaid, public charge and more.
SCHIP is a state and federal partnership designed to provide children with
health insurance, many of whom come from working families with incomes too
high to qualify for Medicaid, but too low to afford private health
insurance. According to state figures, about 4.6 million children received
health coverage through SCHIP at some point in fiscal year 2001. SCHIP plans
operate in all 50 states, five territories and the District of Columbia.
Earlier this month, the CDC release data showing that the number of children
covered by health insurance has increased since the SCHIP program began. In
2001, 10.8 percent of American children did not have health coverage, down
from 13.9 percent in 1997. During that period, the number of children
without health insurance fell from 9.9 million to 7.8 million. This 21
percent reduction occurred as HHS worked with states to establish programs
in every state to expand health coverage to uninsured children.
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