State health insurance rolls swell past 20,000

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BY PATRICK GUINANE
pguinane@nwitimes.com
317.637.9078 | Wednesday, July 30, 2008 | (4 comment(s))

INDIANAPOLIS | Enrollment in Indiana's cigarette-tax funded health insurance program for the working poor has surpassed 20,000, state officials announced Wednesday.

The Healthy Indiana Plan has drawn 64,494 applications since its December launch. As of this week, 21,186 low-income adults are receiving coverage.

"With Governor Daniels' leadership and bi-partisan support from Representative Charlie Brown, D-Gary, and Senator Pat Miller, R-Indianapolis, we have been able to reach this exciting milestone," Indiana Family and Social Services Secretary Mitch Roob said in a statement.

The health care plan, funded by a 44-cent cigarette tax hike, has the resources to cover 130,000 Hoosiers, though Roob previously set a 50,000 target for the first year.

The plan is targeted to adults, age 19 to 64, who have gone without access to health insurance for at least six months and earn up to double the federal poverty line, or $20,800 for a single person. Enrollees must pay into the plan up to 5 percent of their annual income based on a sliding scale that begins at 2 percent for individuals earning $10,400 or less.

This month, the state began offering a buy-in option for uninsured adults with higher incomes. For them, the cost will range from about $125 month for a 25-year-old male to $550 a month for a 60-year-old female.

Healthy Indiana Plan participants each gain access to at least $500 in annual preventive care, such as mammograms and prostate exams, and receive a $1,100 annual health savings account to cover doctor visits and other medical expenses. Those who exhaust those accounts can tap up to $300,000 in additional annual insurance coverage.

Healthy Indiana Plan enrollment

Lake County 2,067

LaPorte County 452

Porter County 402

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countrynomads wrote on Oct 5, 2008 8:43 AM:

" i just started medicare my wife can't get help she just turned 60.i need more info on a health ins.was told if i get a divorce she ca n get help. after 37 yr i don't think thats gonna happen. how do i get info "

Wet Hen wrote on Jul 30, 2008 5:51 PM:

" The "buy in" rates sound age discriminatory to me "

Debby wrote on Jul 30, 2008 3:58 PM:

" I'm thankful for the Healthy Indiana Plan. Because of having this insurance
I found out I had Type 2 Diabetes. Its
helping me get my health back on track. "

Twinkle wrote on Jul 30, 2008 1:54 PM:

" Wonder how many in Lake County are here illegally? "

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