I applied for CHIP and my children are eligbile for low-cost and at-cost CHIP. Why do my children have to wait six months for CHIP coverage?
Federal law requires that CHIP applicants whose income is over the free CHIP limits (200 percent of federal poverty guidelines – a family of four making more than $41,300/year) have to be without insurance for six months before being enrolled, with some exceptions. This requirement is part of the law and is used to prevent employers and/or consumers from dropping private health coverage to enroll in a public program. CHIP is strictly for families with no other available health coverage. Please note that the six month period of uninsurance does not apply to those who eligible for free CHIP. For those in the low-cost and at-cost CHIP programs, exceptions to the six month rule include: the child is under age two; the child has lost health benefits because a parent lost their job; or the child is moving from another public health insurance program.
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- I applied for CHIP and my children are eligbile for low-cost and at-cost CHIP. Why do my children have to wait six months for CHIP coverage?
