Child Health
Today’s economy is taking its toll on Virginians, costing many people their jobs and their health insurance coverage. With no insurance and limited income, families cannot afford to pay for medical or dental care for their children.
Uninsured children lose out on important preventive care — from dental visits to yearly check-ups — laying the groundwork for more serious health issues later in life. Many children also suffer needlessly from life threatening asthma attacks and other conditions that could be controlled with regular care.
How VHCF is helping
VHCF’s Children’s Health Insurance Initiative works both in local communities and at the state level to increase enrollment of eligible children in Virginia’s state-sponsored health insurance programs, FAMIS and FAMIS Plus. FAMIS provides coverage for doctor and hospital visits, vaccinations and prescription medications, dental, vision and mental health care, and more. A family of four with a monthly income up to $3,675 could qualify for coverage for their children.
- VHCF sponsors locally-based Project Connect initiatives to help families learn about the FAMIS programs, determine if they’re eligible, sign them up and keep them enrolled. Since 2000, VHCF grantees directly enrolled 57,000 children in state-sponsored health insurance.
- VHCF provides in-depth training and technical assistance to current and past Project Connect grantees, as well as to independent outreach projects through its SignUpNow initiative.
- Through its Children’s Health Insurance Initiative, VHCF also documents barriers to state programs and advocates for policy and program improvements statewide.
- VHCF also sponsored outreach and application assistance projects through the Covering Kids & Families Initiative. Funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Roy R. Charles Charitable Trust, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Capital One, MAMSI (UnitedHealthcare) and Carilion, the three local pilots, which ran through 2006, enrolled nearly 5,200 children in the FAMIS Programs and assisted 1,196 others in renewing their coverage.
- VHCF provides access to a broad array of training and outreach materials to help ensure the success of child health outreach programs. Materials range from on-demand training to details on FAMIS eligibility guidelines to periodic child health workshops.
VHCF’s Children’s Health Insurance Initiative would not be possible without the continued support of its public and private sector partners who have been instrumental to building a network that works for children and families across Virginia.
