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Status of the Health Insurance Market in Kentucky, 1998, Frankfort, KY: Legislative Research Commission, February, 2000.)

Medicaid is the only public health insurance program generally available in Kentucky. Medicaid currently covers children 0 to 1 at 185% FPL, from 1 through 5 up to 133% FPL, from 6 through 14 (effective SFY 2000) at 100% FPL, and 15 to 19 up to 33% FPL. Each year the State increases the age level of those covered at 100% FPL by one year.

In 1996, Medicaid served 348,045 children under 21 years of age, which is 29.3% of all Kentucky children under age 21 as of July 1, 1996.4

Category

Estimated # Uninsured Age of Uninsured Children:

Age Under 1 5,560 (4%)

Age 1-5 26,410 (19%)

Age 6-15 77,840 (56%)

Age 16 -18 30,580 (22%) Source: LRC Research Memorandum No. 290. See endnotes.

Based on this data, the state has estimated that there will be 50,624 children eligible for the Medicaid expansion. Approximately 15,624 children would be eligible for the KCHIP insurance program.

2.2. Describe the current state efforts to provide or obtain creditable health coverage for uncovered children by addressing: (Section 2102)(a)(2) (42CFR 457.80(b))

2.2.1. The steps the state is currently taking to identify and enroll all uncovered children who are eligible to participate in public health insurance programs (i.e., Medicaid and state-only child health insurance):

There are a variety of agencies and organizations currently involved in identifying children with health needs, many of whom are either Medicaid eligible or without creditable coverage. These organizations will be the first line of effort to identify potential KCHIP children. Kentucky will start with these organizations to identify potentially eligible children for KCHIP.

The Kentucky Department for Public Health is the largest single provider of direct patient care as well as support care for the uninsured and Medicaid enrolled children and adolescents. Direct services for this population include: preventive child health services (well child check-ups); prenatal services; Women, Infants and Children supplemental nutrition [WIC] services; preventive health education; immunizations; and family planning program services. Support services include nursing and nutrition counseling for pregnant women, Resource Mothers program for pregnant and parenting teens, and the provision of