Kids Insurance: Private Or Public?

In the United States, the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) provides low-cost comprehensive health coverage to children under the age of 19 whose family incomes are too high to qualify for Medicaid. CHIP is available in states like Alabama and Illinois, where it is known as ALL Kids and Illinois All Kids, respectively. These programs offer healthcare coverage or help with paying premiums for employer or private health insurance plans. To be eligible, families must meet certain criteria, including residency, citizenship, and income requirements.

ALL Kids Insurance in Alabama

ALL Kids Insurance is Alabama's Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and is administered by the Alabama Department of Public Health. It is a low-cost, comprehensive healthcare coverage program for eligible children under the age of 19.

ALL Kids provides coverage for regular check-ups, immunizations, sick child doctor visits, prescriptions, dental and vision care, hospital and physician services, and mental health and substance abuse services. Additional medical services may be available for children with special needs.

To be eligible for ALL Kids Insurance in Alabama, you must be a resident of the state and meet the following criteria:

• Be either 18 years of age or younger, or a primary caregiver with a child/children under the age of 18.
• Be a U.S. Citizen, National, or a Non-Citizen legally admitted into the U.S.
• Be uninsured and ineligible for Medicaid.
• Have an annual household income (before taxes) that is below the specified maximum income level for your household size. For households with more than eight people, you can add $17,055 for each additional person.

You can apply for ALL Kids Insurance online, by phone, or by requesting an application form by mail. The program is celebrating 25 years of providing high-quality, low-cost healthcare coverage to Alabama children and teens.

Illinois All Kids (CHIPRA)

To be eligible for Illinois All Kids (CHIPRA), applicants must be Illinois residents and meet the following criteria:

• Either 18 years of age or younger, or a primary caregiver with children 18 years of age or younger.
• A U.S. Citizen, National, or a Non-Citizen legally admitted to the U.S.
• Uninsured and ineligible for Medicaid.
• Have an annual household income (before taxes) below the specified maximum income level. For households with more than eight people, an additional $8,070 is added per extra person.

Illinois families can apply for health insurance online or at their local Department of Human Services Office (DHS). An All Kids Application Agent (AKAA) can provide assistance with the application process.

In FFY 2018, 296,186 children were covered by All Kids, and in 2017, 94.4% of eligible children in Illinois participated in either Medicaid or All Kids. Illinois CHIP provides coverage for children in families with incomes at or below 300% of the federal poverty level (FPL).

Eligibility requirements for ALL Kids Insurance

ALL Kids Insurance is a low-cost, comprehensive healthcare coverage program for eligible children under the age of 19. ALL Kids is Alabama's Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and is administered by the Alabama Department of Public Health. Similarly, Illinois has its own All Kids program, which is also a part of CHIP.

To be eligible for ALL Kids Insurance in Alabama, you must meet the following requirements:

• Be a resident of Alabama.
• Be 18 years of age or under, or be a primary caregiver with children 18 years of age or under.
• Be a U.S. Citizen, National, or a Non-Citizen legally admitted to the U.S.
• Be uninsured and ineligible for Medicaid.
• Have an annual household income (before taxes) below the specified maximum income level, which is determined by family size.

To be eligible for ALL Kids Insurance in Illinois, you must meet the following requirements:

• Be a resident of Illinois.
• Be 18 years of age or under, or be a primary caregiver with children 18 years of age or under.
• Be a U.S. Citizen, National, or a Non-Citizen legally admitted to the U.S.
• Be uninsured and ineligible for Medicaid.
• Have an annual household income (before taxes) below the specified maximum income level, which is determined by family size.

Benefits of ALL Kids Insurance:

ALL Kids Insurance provides comprehensive health coverage, including regular check-ups, immunizations, sick child doctor visits, prescriptions, dental and vision care, hospital and physician services, mental health services, and substance abuse services. Additional medical services may be available for children with special needs.

Applying for ALL Kids Insurance:

You can apply for ALL Kids Insurance online, by phone, or through your local county health department or Department of Human Services Office (DHS). The application process may vary depending on your state.

Applying for ALL Kids Insurance

ALL Kids Insurance is a low-cost, comprehensive healthcare coverage program for eligible children under the age of 19 in Alabama and Illinois. The program is administered by the Alabama and Illinois Departments of Public Health and provides benefits such as regular check-ups, immunizations, sick child doctor visits, prescriptions, dental and vision care, hospital and physician services, and mental health and substance abuse services.

To apply for ALL Kids Insurance, you can follow these steps:

Alabama:

Check eligibility: To be eligible for ALL Kids Insurance in Alabama, you must meet the following criteria:

• Be a resident of Alabama.
• Be either 18 years of age or younger, or a primary caregiver with a child(ren) 18 years of age or younger.
• Be a U.S. Citizen, National, or a Non-Citizen legally admitted to the U.S.
• Be uninsured and ineligible for Medicaid.
• Have an annual household income (before taxes) below the specified maximum income level, which varies based on household size.

Gather required information: Before starting the application process, have the following information readily available:

• Social Security numbers and birth dates of household members applying for coverage.
• Household income from jobs and any other income sources.
• Information about current and recent health insurance coverage for all household members applying for coverage.

Submit the application: You can apply for ALL Kids Insurance in Alabama through the following methods:

• Online: Complete the online application on the ALL Kids page. The application takes approximately 30-45 minutes to complete.
• By phone: Call 1-888-373-5437 to request an application or ask any questions about the process.
• Local resources: Application packets are available at local county health departments, doctors' offices, hospitals, social service agencies, schools, and pharmacies.

Illinois:

Check eligibility: To be eligible for ALL Kids Insurance in Illinois, you must meet the following criteria:

• Be a resident of Illinois.
• Be either 18 years of age or younger, or a primary caregiver with a child(ren) 18 years of age or younger.
• Be a U.S. Citizen, National, or a Non-Citizen legally admitted to the U.S.
• Be uninsured and ineligible for Medicaid.
• Have an annual household income (before taxes) below the specified maximum income level, which varies based on household size.

• Gather required information: When applying, you will need to provide information such as your family income and size, as this will determine the premium and co-payments.
• Submit the application: You can apply for ALL Kids Insurance in Illinois through the following methods:

• Online: Submit the application on the All Kids Application page.
• By phone: Call the All Kids Hotline at 1-866-255-5437 or TTY 1-877-204-1012 to request an application or for assistance. Translation services are available.
• Local resources: Visit your local Department of Human Services Office (DHS) to request a paper application or apply in person. An All Kids Application Agent (AKAA) in your area can also help you with the application process.

After submitting your application, you will typically receive a decision within 45 days. If your child is approved for coverage, they will receive a member handbook and card. Their coverage will be valid for 12 months, after which you will need to renew their eligibility.

ALL Kids Insurance coverage

ALL Kids Insurance is a low-cost, comprehensive healthcare coverage program for eligible children under the age of 19 in Alabama. ALL Kids is administered by the Alabama Department of Public Health and is Alabama's Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP).

The program covers regular check-ups and immunizations, sick child doctor visits, prescriptions, vision and dental care, hospitalization, mental health and substance abuse services, and more. ALL Kids also provides medical, mental health, and substance abuse services through the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama (BCBSAL) preferred provider network (PPO).

To be eligible for ALL Kids Insurance, families must be residents of Alabama, with an annual household income above Medicaid eligibility but below 300% of the Federal Poverty Level. The program is also open to those who are 18 years of age or younger or primary caregivers with children under 18, U.S. citizens, nationals, or non-citizens legally admitted to the U.S., and uninsured (and ineligible for Medicaid).

The application process for ALL Kids Insurance involves completing an online application or obtaining an application packet from local county health departments, doctors' offices, hospitals, social service agencies, schools, or pharmacies. The application process typically takes 30-45 minutes, and a program eligibility worker will make the final enrollment determination.

Illinois also has a similar program called Illinois All Kids (CHIPRA), which offers healthcare coverage or helps pay premiums for employer or private health insurance plans.

Frequently asked questions