Oregon State Program Helps Pay for Health Insurance for Low Income Residents

Over 600,000 Oregonians are without any type of health insurance. For the uninsured a serious injury or illness can have catastrophic financial consequences. Several studies have estimated that over fifty percent of all personal bankruptcies are due to medical reasons. The dwelling of Oregon is working to prick the number of uninsured citizens by paying up to 95 percent of health insurance cost for individuals and families.

Established by the legislature in 1997 and initially funded by tobacco taxes, the Family Health Insurance Assistance Program now helps approximately 18000 obscene income people pay for health insurance.

Income eligibility is based on 185 percent of the federal poverty line. For an individual to qualify for assistance their income cannot exceed $1511 a month. A family of four would qualify with an income of $3084 or less a month.

FHIAP categorizes clients into two groups for funding purposes: Individual- those without access to health insurance at work and Group – those whose employers do provide health insurance but the employee cannot afford the premiums.

To be eligible for a FHIAP subsidy, applicants must have been without insurance for six months, be a U.S. citizen living in Oregon, having savings and investments of less than $10,000 and not be eligible for or receiving Medicare. When determining savings and investments FHIAP does not count IRA’s, vehicles or owner occupied homes. Exceptions to the six-month rule are made when the applicant is leaving the Oregon Health Belief or has been on their employer’s insurance concept for less than 90 days.

After being current by FHIAP, those covered under the individual understanding settle a healthcare provider on the state’s accepted list. Choices include: Kaiser Permanente, ODS, Pacific Source, BlueCross/BlueShield and several others. For those with preexisting conditions FHIAP can procure coverage through the Oregon Medical Insurance Pool. Insurance providers bill FHIAP which in turn bills the individual for their part of the premium. On a $500 month premium subsidized at 95 percent FHIAP would pay $475. Like any insurance policy FHIAP recipients are responsible for deductibles and co-pays.

Quick-witted that people face a bewildering array of choices in choosing a healthcare provider FHIAP status up a toll free number where applicants can receive advice from experts about the best insurance policy to suit there needs.

Under the group insurance idea, members tag up with their employer’s health thought and the premium is taken directly from their paychecks. FHIAP reimburses members within four days of receiving a copy of their pay stub.

Once covered, members are required to reapply every 12 months. During the 12 month coverage period FHIAP does not require notification of any increase in income or assets.

According to FHIAP policy and legislative liaison Kelley Harms, the program’s enrollment zoomed from 3400 people in 2000 to the unique 18,000 in 2005. Harms attributed the increased number of people of covered to aggressive marketing and the infusion of federal money starting in 2002. Federal matching funds chronicle for 72 percent of FHIAP’s budget; with the residence of Oregon making up the remaining 28 percent.

Currently there is no waiting list for those who can bag insurance through their employer or their spouse’s employer. FHIAP is advising individual applicant that the waiting list for coverage could be up to 12 months.

Harms urges people in need of insurance coverage not to be assign off by the possibility of a twelve month wait and to apply now. “Things change, people leave the program, and we could acquire more funding.” She said

Over 600,000 Oregonians are without any type of health insurance. For the uninsured a serious injury or illness can have catastrophic financial consequences. Several studies have estimated that over fifty percent of all personal bankruptcies are due to medical reasons. The residence of Oregon is working to slice the number of uninsured citizens by paying up to 95 percent of health insurance cost for individuals and families.

Established by the legislature in 1997 and initially funded by tobacco taxes, the Family Health Insurance Assistance Program now helps approximately 18000 improper income people pay for health insurance.

Income eligibility is based on 185 percent of the federal poverty line. For an individual to qualify for assistance their income cannot exceed $1511 a month. A family of four would qualify with an income of $3084 or less a month.

FHIAP categorizes clients into two groups for funding purposes: Individual- those without access to health insurance at work and Group – those whose employers do provide health insurance but the employee cannot afford the premiums.

To be eligible for a FHIAP subsidy, applicants must have been without insurance for six months, be a U.S. citizen living in Oregon, having savings and investments of less than $10,000 and not be eligible for or receiving Medicare. When determining savings and investments FHIAP does not count IRA’s, vehicles or owner occupied homes. Exceptions to the six-month rule are made when the applicant is leaving the Oregon Health Idea or has been on their employer’s insurance concept for less than 90 days.

After being favorite by FHIAP, those covered under the individual conception settle a healthcare provider on the state’s celebrated list. Choices include: Kaiser Permanente, ODS, Pacific Source, BlueCross/BlueShield and several others. For those with preexisting conditions FHIAP can pick up coverage through the Oregon Medical Insurance Pool. Insurance providers bill FHIAP which in turn bills the individual for their allotment of the premium. On a $500 month premium subsidized at 95 percent FHIAP would pay $475. Like any insurance policy FHIAP recipients are responsible for deductibles and co-pays.

Incandescent that people face a bewildering array of choices in choosing a healthcare provider FHIAP station up a toll free number where applicants can receive advice from experts about the best insurance policy to suit there needs.

Under the group insurance belief, members notice up with their employer’s health belief and the premium is taken directly from their paychecks. FHIAP reimburses members within four days of receiving a copy of their pay stub.

Once covered, members are required to reapply every 12 months. During the 12 month coverage period FHIAP does not require notification of any increase in income or assets.

According to FHIAP policy and legislative liaison Kelley Harms, the program’s enrollment zoomed from 3400 people in 2000 to the new 18,000 in 2005. Harms attributed the increased number of people of covered to aggressive marketing and the infusion of federal money starting in 2002. Federal matching funds tale for 72 percent of FHIAP’s budget; with the space of Oregon making up the remaining 28 percent.

Currently there is no waiting list for those who can accumulate insurance through their employer or their spouse’s employer. FHIAP is advising individual applicant that the waiting list for coverage could be up to 12 months.

Harms urges people in need of insurance coverage not to be attach off by the possibility of a twelve month wait and to apply now. “Things change, people leave the program, and we could catch more funding.” She said