Children in Texas seem to be more prone to visits to the doctor and getting medical treatment than any other group of people. As with adults, going to the doctor can get costly, especially if you don’t have the money to pay for it. However, there are other solutions to get health insurance in Texas for your children.
There are multiple government programs that provide insurance to children if their families meet the eligibility guidelines. This option is most often available to families where the parents are unemployed or underemployed and for whom an employer-sponsored plan is not an option for health insurance in Texas.
One of the federal health insurance programs that are available is Medicaid. This health insurance is a federal and state program. It provides access to health care for children that can’t get any other health insurance in Texas. This health insurance coverage is free, but you have to be eligible for it. There are plenty of benefits and they offer more than health insurance plans where you would have to pay.
In order for a child (or children) to qualify for this government funded health insurance program, they must reside in the state of Texas; be a citizen of the United States or permanent resident. Even if the parent or guardian is not a citizen, but they are here legally, the child can still be eligible for this free health insurance. They should also be 19 years old or younger. There is also an income guideline that the family has to meet. If they are at or below that guideline, then the child would qualify for Medicaid. If you have a vehicle, that may be included in the evaluation of whether or not the child is eligible for Medicaid.
Texas has a specific agency that handles qualifying people for Medicaid health insurance in Texas. Some families automatically get Medicaid, depending on their circumstances. Usually, a family will have to update their records regularly, reporting any changes in income or circumstances to their social worker and undergo period reevaluations of their eligibility for Medicaid.
For those who may not qualify for Medicaid, there is another option for children’s health insurance in Texas – the CHIP Program. CHIP or Children’s Health Insurance Program is a government-funded program for families who exceed the Medicaid income requirements but cannot afford insurance through a traditional insurance plan. CHIP offers the same coverage and benefits as insurance from a private insurer.
CHIP’s sliding-scale model means people pay for their medical services based on their household income to keep costs manageable. Parents may be responsible for nominal co-Similar to Medicaid, applicants go through the state agency for public health insurance in Texas and there are similar eligibility requirements with slightly higher income parameters. CHIP recipients undergo annual re-assessments to continue their coverage by the program. Children need and deserve adequate health insurance in Texas and no one should go without it because of an inability to pay for it when there are so many resources available to provide the needed assistance and make it possible to be insured.
