https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 12 Apr 2026 01:02:32 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/chip-eligibility#post-2754499 Mon, 03 Jul 2017 10:37:45 +0000 dominobee 2754499@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@oscarthegoon: I did not! Thank you!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/chip-eligibility#post-2754467 Mon, 03 Jul 2017 09:10:56 +0000 oscarthegoon 2754467@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Also, you should apply for CHIP right away after the babies are born (you can complete most of the application online and save it, then just submit it after the birth) because it can take 6 weeks or more to get approved. The babies will be covered under your existing insurance for the first 30 days, and when CHIP starts it will be retroactive to the date they lose coverage under your plan, but it is a hassle if there is a gap in the meantime. Also, if you ever drop CHIP coverage for them and insure them directly through an employer, and then you want to get them back on CHIP, there is a six month waiting period without coverage to do that. (There is no waiting period for newborn babies.) My apologies if you already know this stuff :-) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/chip-eligibility#post-2754466 Mon, 03 Jul 2017 09:08:19 +0000 dominobee 2754466@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@oscarthegoon: Good to know! My employer charges ~$700/family (of 4 I'm assuming? Need to talk to HR) for the high deductible HSA plan and ~$1250/family for the no deductible EPO plan. So CHIP will likely be cheaper any way you slice it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/chip-eligibility#post-2754460 Mon, 03 Jul 2017 09:02:24 +0000 oscarthegoon 2754460@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm in PA and have personal experience with this. There is a program called HIPP (Health Insurance Premium Payment program or something like that). If your kids are eligible for CHIP, and health insurance is also available through an employer, CHIP will determine if it is cheaper to have the kids on regular CHIP, or have them on the employer health plan and CHIP will pay the premiums for you. They work with your HR department to arrange it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/chip-eligibility#post-2754448 Mon, 03 Jul 2017 08:40:56 +0000 dominobee 2754448@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have an update folks! I just called PA's CHIP program and they said as long as a child is not *covered* by another insurance policy they are eligible for the income-based program. That means it would cost us $53/month/child if my husband is not working. If he continues to work it would be full-cost for us, $239/month/child, which is still cheaper than my employer-based program but would be more of a strain on us financially. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/chip-eligibility#post-2754444 Mon, 03 Jul 2017 08:32:39 +0000 dominobee 2754444@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Maysprout: It could be that copays were reduced as part of the Affordable Care Act? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/chip-eligibility#post-2754326 Sun, 02 Jul 2017 12:54:03 +0000 Maysprout 2754326@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@dominobee: I just looked briefly at the website again. My oldest is 6 so things have changed a bit i think, the copays look super low now for chip so I was prob wrong on that. i can't remember exactly, maybe it was the extent of coverage. I think we'd have qualified for low cost, DH plan was only a bit more but it also had more coverage I think, or maybe it was bc we were traveling a bit, I can't remember exactly. It was pre ACA so I think it's changed since then and DH had pretty good and affordable insurance and chip was still an attractive option. I'd just call and ask them lots of questions, it sounds like it'd save you quite a bit. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/chip-eligibility#post-2754324 Sun, 02 Jul 2017 12:39:01 +0000 dominobee 2754324@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Maysprout: Do you remember if your LO was eligible for subsidized CHIP or full cost? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/chip-eligibility#post-2754311 Sun, 02 Jul 2017 10:59:46 +0000 Maysprout 2754311@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We looked into chip vs employer plan for our first. Our employer plan was expensive but it covered 100% of most things. Chip there were some significant copays if I remember right so we stuck with employer </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/chip-eligibility#post-2754308 Sun, 02 Jul 2017 10:53:04 +0000 dominobee 2754308@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsADS: I'm going to call tomorrow to find out for sure. I'm really hoping we can qualify for the $53/month subsidized CHIP rate.</p> <p>The other option is finding out how much coverage is for dependents through my husband's employer.</p> <p>Thank you so much for your help! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/chip-eligibility#post-2754306 Sun, 02 Jul 2017 10:44:01 +0000 MrsADS 2754306@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@dominobee yikes. I didn't realize that was the subsidized. Here is the income chart I found on PA's website:</p> <p><a href="http://www.chipcoverspakids.com/AboutCHIP/Documents/chip_income_chart_2017.pdf" rel="nofollow">http://www.chipcoverspakids.com/AboutCHIP/Documents/chip_income_chart_2017.pdf</a></p> <p>Looks like there is a range of monthly premiums based on income, maybe that is helpful? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/chip-eligibility#post-2754301 Sun, 02 Jul 2017 10:32:59 +0000 dominobee 2754301@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I am starting to seriously consider looking for a job in Canada after the twins are born. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/chip-eligibility#post-2754300 Sun, 02 Jul 2017 10:31:28 +0000 dominobee 2754300@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsADS: No that's subsidized CHIP. Full-cost CHIP is $390/child/month which doesn't help me at all. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/chip-eligibility#post-2754299 Sun, 02 Jul 2017 10:29:48 +0000 MrsADS 2754299@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@dominobee that is a great price for full cost CHIP! They just doubled the price in my state (FL) a couple of years ago, which really stinks, but it's still better than a lot of private plans.</p> <p>I don't think your DH can get exchange subsidies b/c of the family glitch, like you said :crying: Although the exchange plan might still be cheaper than $670. Yikes, that is CRAZY. </p> <p>I did a little looking, and I'm not 100% sure that kids with offers of parental insurance can get CHIP in PA, but I would say I'm 99% sure. You could always just call them to double check. I think a LOT of people do this. </p> <p>Good luck! It is so stressful! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/chip-eligibility#post-2754298 Sun, 02 Jul 2017 10:27:57 +0000 dominobee 2754298@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Sorry I don't know why that posted twice... the site told me "Slow down" and erased my original post... but I guess it posted after all. Oh well!</p> <p>Edited to add... this is what's confusing to me: "Must not be covered by any other health insurance plan, self-insured plan, or self-funded plan." The kids will not technically be *covered* by my plan but they would be *eligible* for coverage. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/chip-eligibility#post-2754297 Sun, 02 Jul 2017 10:27:04 +0000 dominobee 2754297@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsADS: Oh that would be so great, thank you! We live in Pennsylvania. </p> <p>According to this website we would only have to pay $53/month/child based on my income alone. If DH worked we would make just a bit too much money to even be eligible for at-cost CHIP. <a href="https://www.ibx.com/individuals/find_plan/low_income/chip/eligibility.html" rel="nofollow">https://www.ibx.com/individuals/find_plan/low_income/chip/eligibility.html</a></p> <p>If they were not eligible for CHIP I was about to go into full on panic mode. There would basically be no good option where we could all have health insurance and also not effectively live in poverty. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/chip-eligibility#post-2754296 Sun, 02 Jul 2017 10:25:03 +0000 dominobee 2754296@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsADS: Oh that would be awesome. I am in Pennsylvania.</p> <p>According to this website we would only have to pay $53/child.</p> <p>I was about to go into full on panic mode if they couldn't get CHIP because that would basically mean there is no good option that doesn't effectively have us living in poverty. </p> <p>My employer charges $670/spouse so I am hopeful that DH can get a plan on the exchange for a reasonable amount of money. Though because of the "family glitch" he wouldn't qualify for any subsidies even though we would be a family of four living on less than $50,000/year.</p> <p>That is, if the exchanges still exist when my twins are due in February!</p> <p>On top of this my work does not offer maternity leave. This is all stressing me out so badly! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/chip-eligibility#post-2754292 Sun, 02 Jul 2017 10:09:53 +0000 MrsADS 2754292@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@dominobee I'm in FL and kids can be in CHIP regardless of parental insurance coverage. However, you'll probably have to pay the "full pay" monthly rate. (I'm an attorney and I handle health and insurance issues so this is my thing) My work has a super awful insurance policy, and tons of people have their kids on our state CHIP plan. I think the full price here is about $200/month per kid (used to be about $100). But that's better than our plan for better coverage.</p> <p>Thankfully I'm on my husband's state insurance plan which is great, but if I was on my work plan, I would totally have my kid in CHIP!</p> <p>What's your state? I will check for you if you want. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/chip-eligibility#post-2754286 Sun, 02 Jul 2017 09:52:12 +0000 dominobee 2754286@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Does anyone know if children are eligible for CHIP if they are also eligible for health insurance through a parent's employer?</p> <p>I'm currently pregnant with twins (first children) and we are considering whether DH should be a SAHD to save money on childcare costs. His wages would not cover childcare for two.</p> <p>My employer charges ~$400/child or $715/family (which I'm assuming is a spouse and two children) for a high deductible HSA plan. The cost for the no-deductible EPO plan is $790/child or $1250/family. I think the EPO makes more sense for babies as they'll be at the doctor a lot (and for me during my pregnancy, though I can't switch until September). However, $1250 is half of what I take home in a month. Our mortgage is $800 so we obviously cannot survive on ~$1300/month. And other entitlement programs like WIC and food stamps look at gross income, not net, so I make too much to qualify for those, even for a family of four.</p> <p>With my income alone they would be eligible for CHIP according to the income guidelines. But I'm hoping that the possibility of getting insurance through my employer does not disqualify them.</p> <p>Any insight is helpful, thank you! </p>