April 1, 2008

Ohio’s Governor, Ted Strickland, signed an emergency ruling to allow children with family income above 300% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) (or $63,600 a year for a family of four) to buy-in to Medicaid (Source: “More kids can get coverage,” The Columbus Dispatch, April 2, 2008).  This Medicaid expansion allows middle class families to gain health insurance for children requiring complex medical care that may make insurance too costly or unattainable. 

To be eligible for the Buy-In Program the child must have been uninsured for the past six months, be younger than 19 years-old, and meet any of the following criteria:
• unable to obtain health insurance due to a pre-existing condition
• lost coverage after exceeding the lifetime maximum benefit
• has access only to an insurance plan greater than twice the cost of the Buy-In Program
• participates in the Ohio Department of Health’s Bureau for Children with Medical Handicaps  

Premiums will range from $250 to $500 a month and will be calculated on a sliding schedule according to family income.  State officials expect that approximately 5,000 uninsured children will participate in the Program.  The cost of the Program is expected to be $10 million over the next 15 months.  The Buy-In Program is part of Governor Strickland’s plan to expand health insurance coverage for children by increasing eligibility for Medicaid and SCHIP.  Additional information about the Buy-In Program can be found on the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services’ website:  http://www.jfs.ohio.gov/ohp/cbi/.