2912 Health Insurance Premium Payment System (HIPPS)

Based on federal law, States are permitted to purchase employer-based health insurance for all clients who have access to such coverage and if it is determined to be cost effective. This includes "COBRA" continuation coverage which allows for continued health insurance coverage through a person's former employer. If it is known such coverage exists for an individual, the case is to be referred as indicated in item 2912.1 below.

This optional provision has been adopted in Kansas and applies to both Medicaid and MediKan clients except those eligible only under SOBRA provisions. It is not applicable to CHIP; families receiving coverage only under SOBRA or CHIP are not to be referred. In addition, the requirement also affects persons who are legally responsible for a recipient but who are not eligible or for whom assistance is not requested (i.e., a noneligible parent or spouse such as an excluded stepparent). It is not, however, applicable to absent parents currently providing coverage for their dependents. However, if there is coverage available, but the absent parent is not currently providing such coverage, the case should be referred the HIPPS unit.

Coverage can be purchased for non-legally responsible family members (grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc.) if by doing so recipient family members can also be covered. This would be a voluntary action on the part of the person and is not an eligibility requirement. The individual does not need to be living in the same household as the recipient.

The purchase of group health insurance is to be determined as cost-effective if the cost of paying for such coverage is expected to be less than the person's or family's medical expenditures that would otherwise be paid by KDHE-DHCF. Where cost-effectiveness is shown, the individual is required to enroll for such coverage if he or she is an applicant/ recipient and the State would be responsible for paying the cost of the insurance for the client and all Medicaid/MediKan eligible family members, including the premiums, deductibles, co-insurance, and other cost-sharing obligations. In addition, when a non-eligible family member must be enrolled in the health plan in order for the client to receive coverage, the State must also pay the premiums for that member but no other cost-sharing expenses would be covered. Persons for whom coverage is purchased will continue to receive medical assistance as long as they remain eligible. HIPPS only provides for the establishment of third party resources.

The Health Insurance Premium Payment System has been developed jointly with the fiscal agent for Kansas. The fiscal agent has the primary responsibility for administering the project which includes gathering information from clients, employers, and insurance companies concerning availability and extent of health insurance coverage, determining cost-effectiveness, and payment of insurance costs.

This affects only employer-based plans and not other types of private or group insurance. The client must cooperate in providing information concerning potential health insurance coverage and in enrolling for such coverage if it is cost-effective. Failure to do so shall result in ineligibility as indicated below. Following is a description of the basic requirements.