Volume 7, Issue 6 | November 21, 2003
1225 8th Street, Suite 590,
Sacramento, CA 95814
Ph: (916) 448-6762
Fax: (916) 448-6774
Sacramento, CA 95814
Ph: (916) 448-6762
Fax: (916) 448-6774
|
California Update Volume 7, Issue 6 | November 21, 2003 |
1225 8th Street, Suite 590,
Sacramento, CA 95814 Ph: (916) 448-6762 Fax: (916) 448-6774 |
CIWC Home > CIWC's Newsletter > Nov. 21, 2003
State Implements New Pathway to Health Coverage for Children
Children in California, regardless of their immigration status, can receive up to two months of full-scope Medi-Cal services under a new “gateway” that operates through the state’s Child Health and Disability Prevention (CHDP) program. Although the CHDP Gateway became effective on July 1, 2003, CHDP providers were given until the end of the year to implement the program. The Gateway was designed to help the more than one million uninsured children who currently use CHDP preventive health services to secure health coverage through Healthy Families or Medi-Cal. Under the Gateway, children receive temporary Medi-Cal, which can be extended if an application for Healthy Families or Medi-Cal is filed. Children who are found ineligible for the programs (or who choose not to apply for ongoing coverage) can receive temporary Medi-Cal again, at their next periodic medical visit.CHDP Gateway services are available to low-income children in California, ages 0-–19, regardless of their immigration status. The CHDP program provides physical exams; immunizations; nutrition, hearing, dental and vision assessments; and referrals. Children receiving temporary Medi-Cal under the Gateway can get a broader array of services, including doctor’s visits, prescription medicines, dental care, mental health care, vision care, hospital services, x-rays, lab tests, and specialty care. Children who are already receiving “emergency-only” Medi-Cal cannot get full-scope Medi-Cal but will continue to be eligible for CHDP services.
To address some of the questions immigrant families might have about the new CHDP Gateway, CIWC has developed a question-and-answer “backgrounder” that has been adapted (below) for inclusion in this issue of CALIFORNIA UPDATE. An electronic copy of the backgrounder is available on CIWC’s Web site. To access it, click on the CIWC logo at www.nilc.org.
IMMIGRANTS AND THE CHDP GATEWAY
Free Health Services for Children!What is CHDP?
The Child Health and Disability Prevention (CHDP) program serves California’s low-income children in the early detection and prevention of disease and disabilities. Under CHDP, children get scheduled preventive health screenings from CHDP providers, at no charge. CHDP services include immunizations, nutrition, vision, lab tests, dental and hearing assessments and referrals for further diagnosis and treatment, if necessary.What is the CHDP Gateway Program?
The new CHDP Gateway helps to enroll eligible children in the Medi-Cal or Healthy Families insurance programs. It also provides children, regardless of immigration status, full scope Medi-Cal services for up to two months, each time they return for a periodic medical visit. Children who already are receiving “emergency-only” Medi-Cal cannot get full Medi-Cal services but can get the CHDP health services described above.Who is eligible for the CHDP Gateway?
Children under age 19 in families earning less than 200 percent of the federal poverty level (about $36,800 per year or $3,067 per month for a family of four) can receive CHDP or temporary Medi-Cal services, regardless of their immigration status, if they live in California.Which health services are available under the CHDP Gateway?
Children enrolled in the CHDP Gateway can get temporary Medi-Cal services, including doctor’s visits, prescription medicines, dental care, mental health care, vision care (eye glasses), hospital services, x-rays, lab tests, and specialty care.How does the CHDP Gateway work?
When your child visits a CHDP doctor or clinic, you must fill out a confidential “pre-enrollment” form. The information is entered into a computer to find out whether your child meets the income and age requirements, and whether he or she is already receiving Medi-Cal. If your child is not on Medi-Cal, you will get a receipt allowing him or her to get temporary Medi-Cal services until the end of the following month. For example, if you complete the pre-enrollment form in the middle of October, your child will be covered until the end of November. You can use the receipt immediately. Soon afterwards, a temporary Medi-Cal card will be mailed to you. And, if you check a box on the pre-enrollment form, a Medi-Cal/Healthy Families application also will be mailed to you.Does the CHDP Gateway pre-enrollment form ask about immigration status?
No. You do not need to provide any immigration information to get temporary Medi-Cal services through the CHDP Gateway.Will the information a family provides on the Gateway pre-enrollment forms be kept confidential?
Yes. The information will remain confidential and will be used only to determine the child’s eligibility for temporary Medi-Cal or other CHDP services.How can my child continue getting Medi-Cal beyond the temporary period?
In order to continue your child’s coverage, you will need to submit a Medi-Cal/Healthy Families application before the temporary Medi-Cal card expires. If you submit the application in time, your child will continue receiving coverage until a decision on the application is made.Does the Medi-Cal/Healthy Families application ask about immigration status?
The Medi-Cal/Healthy Families application asks for your child’s immigration documents, but does not ask about the parents’ immigration status. U.S. citizen children and most lawfully present immigrant children can get Medi-Cal or Healthy Families if they meet the program requirements. For more details, see the Immigrant Benefits Handbooks at www.nilc.org/ciwc.What if I do not want my child to receive Medi-Cal beyond the temporary period?
You are not required to get Medi-Cal for your child beyond the temporary period. If you choose not to apply for ongoing Medi-Cal/Healthy Families, your child’s coverage will terminate at the end of the temporary period. At your child’s next periodic checkup, you can complete another CHDP pre-enrollment form to receive another round of temporary Medi-Cal services for your child.What if I apply, but my child is found ineligible for Medi-Cal or Healthy Families?
If your child is found ineligible due to his or her immigration status, continuing coverage will not be granted. However, your child will be able to get temporary Medi-Cal beginning at her next allowable medical visit. Or your child can enroll in Medi-Cal for emergencies and still receive “well-child” checkups, immunizations, and preventive health screenings through CHDP.What if my child is now receiving “emergency” Medi-Cal?
Children who are currently enrolled in “emergency” Medi-Cal cannot get all of the Medi-Cal services described above, but can get periodic “well-child” checkups, immunizations, and preventive health screenings through CHDP, free of charge. There is a CHDP schedule for well-child visits, based on the age of the child.Will I be billed for the temporary coverage my child received if he or she is found ineligible for ongoing Medi-Cal/Healthy Families?
No. You will not be billed for health services if your child is found ineligible for continuing coverage (or chooses not to apply for continuing coverage), unless you provide false information on your application forms—for example, regarding your income or where you live.Will using CHDP or temporary Medi-Cal prevent me or my child from getting a green card (lawful permanent resident status) by making us a “public charge”?
No. Using CHDP or temporary Medi-Cal services cannot prevent you or your child from getting a green card by making you a “public charge” and cannot prevent you or your child from becoming a U.S. citizen.Where can I get more information about the CHDP Gateway?
You can visit the California Department of Health Service’s Web site at www.dhs.ca.gov/chdp.
If you have other questions about immigrants and benefits, you can call the hotline numbers listed below, or visit CIWC’s Web site at www.nilc.org/ciwc.
Hotline Numbers
APALC
800-520-2356 (Mandarin)
800-267-7395 (Vietnamese)
800-867-3126 (Khmer/Cambodian)
800-867-3640 (Korean)
CHIRLA
888-6-CHIRLA (888-624-4752) (Spanish)
SIREN
408-286-1698 (Spanish)
408-286-1448 (Vietnamese)
HELPLINK*
800-273-6222 (Northern California only)
415-772-HELP (415-772-4357)
(Spanish, Cantonese, Mandarin)
*Administered by the Northern California Council for Community