Kayla Tynes's Article

Kayla Tynes

Healthcare

According to www.cdc.gov 7.8% of children under the age of 18 have no access to healthcare.  Many programs are being readily available to administer to those with no access to healthcare.  The State Children’s Health Insurance Program, which is administered, by Medicaid and Medicare Services provides health insurance for uninsured children.

Former Pennsylvania Governor Robert P. Casey signed the law House Bill 20, also known as the Children’s Health Insurance Act.  HB 20 is a program designed to provide insurance coverage for children’s whose family have a household income too high to qualify for Medical Assistance and who can’t afford Private insurance.  CHIP was later used as model for the CHIP, a federal government program.  Some families have incomes that are too modest but too high for Medicaid.  SCHIP helps those families tremendously.  There are an estimated 6.6 million children who are covered by SCHIP.

Sates have different options for designing CHPS: Medicaid expansion, Separate Child Health Insurance Program or a Combination of the two approaches.  States have different rules for eligibility.  Uninsured children under the age of 19 whose families earn up to $36,200 a year are usually eligible.  SCHIPS pays for: immunizations, hospitalizations, doctor and emergency room visits.

CHIP is ministered by the Mississippi Division of Medicaid.  It does not replace Medicaid.  Mississippi has a coalition private health related, public and non-private organizations that are committed to improving Mississippi children healthcare. There are many places in Oxford, MS that administer to the needy and unfortunate and help any way they can, places like Allcare and the Pregnancy Test Center, both offering and help to those who need it. 

Allcare Mississippi is located on West Jackson Avenue in Oxford MS.

Kimberly Van-everly, a nurse practitioner at Allcare said, “We have people to come see us from Grenada, Blue Mountain and Water Valley.”

Van-everly is employed at Allcare and sees all kinds of cases.  In March 2012, 29.2% were self pay, 21.6% were Medicaid, 3.2% and 3% are Medicare. In 2011 Allcare gave out $24,800 worth of free healthcare.    Allcare provides all the medical needs for uninsured citizens.  Allcare is one of the only clinic in Oxford that provides pediatric forensic evaluation of sexual or physical abuse assistance. If the patient has a condition where they need a referral Allcare works in conjunction with other clinics that see the same type of children and need the same kind of assistant.  It is up to the patient after that.

“We do what we can here and refer them to people who we trust,” said Van-everly.

Sometimes the parent of a child who is self -pay can’t pay for the referral business.  These families of children have to find other means to support the doctor visit or remain with the illness.

There are many other health organizations for uninsured children in Oxford: Oxford  Family Clinic, Allcare Medical Clinic, Oxford Medical Ministries Clinic.  The Pregnancy Test Center also helps young women and even children as young as 13. 

The Pregnancy Test Center works in conjunction with SIDS and can refer them to a doctor.  Most the young women have Medicaid.   Some of their services are: free pregnancy tests, limited ultra sounds, confidential consulting about pregnancy options, parenting help.   All services are free and confidential and are offered in a warm, caring environment.   Women earn points for all the classes they attend and with those points they earn free stuff from the baby boutique, like diapers, clothes and bottles.

Peggy Thomas, executive director said, “All services are free.”

The center is a non-profit organization funded by individual services and they work in conjunction with the Health Department and WICK.

There are many options for a family attempting to receive health insurance for their child.  Families are urged to see if their children are eligible for Medicaid or CHIP.  It is possible if the family has two children that one be eligible for either program.  Each program takes applications and a required interview by the caretaker or parent of the child.   Household income is what the eligibility is based on. It is important to make arrangements before the child becomes ill.  CHIP’s benefits are not retroactive. 

CHIP and Medicaid cover a wide range of services.  Only uninsured children qualify for CHIP  Services include: immunizations, outpatient and in patient care, health screenings (visual and hearing exams), lab services, doctor’s or clinic visits for well or sick-child care, dental and mental care, prescription medications, hearing aids, eyeglasses.  To apply a child for any Mississippi Health Benefits one must bring proof of family income, proof of citizenship and Social Security numbers for each person applying to the in-person required interview.  Eligibility for children under 19 is continuous for one year.   There are no deductibles or premiums.   For more information on Health Benefits for children families can call 1-877-KIDS-NOW.