Advocating coverage for every child
In January 2007, WellPoint proposed our Action Plan for the Uninsured, a blend of public and private initiatives. Its goal is to ensure health care coverage for all children, and to provide new and more attractive options for the working uninsured.
To improve health care access for children, WellPoint supports the expansion of state health care programs to cover children in families that earn up to 300 percent of the federal poverty level. This means that a family of four could earn up to $60,000 per year and still qualify for public coverage.
The plan also includes a call for improved outreach. Roughly 70 percent of uninsured children are already eligible for public programs, but have not been enrolled. The WellPoint Foundation has pledged $30 million over three years to support community and state initiatives to expand access to care.
THE STATE CHILDREN’S HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM (SCHIP) ENROLLMENT* AND PERCENTAGE OF UNINSURED CHILDREN (1998-2005) :: Enrollment (in millions)
*SCHIP enrollment based on total enrollment in December of each year.
**Estimated 2005 enrollment
SOURCE: CPS data; SCHIP Enrollment in 50 States, December 2004 Data Update, KCMU (Sept. 2005); V Smith, DM Rousseau, M O’Malley, SCHIP Program Enrollment: December 2003 Update, KCMU (July 2004).