Sign-up continues for HIP
Comet staff report

Thousands of uninsured low-income Hoosiers are signing up for the state's new Healthy Indiana Plan (HIP) which went into effect Jan. 1.

Governor Mitch Daniels said nearly 4,500 Hoosiers have submitted applications to the Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA) for coverage with the new plan. The state began to process applications on Dec. 17 and has funding to cover about 130,000 Hoosiers annually who do not have health insurance.

"Passing landmark health care legislation was great," Daniels said. "But seeing real people beginning to benefit from it is far better, so we are out to spread the word for all who might qualify," said Daniels.

The HIP plan that will provide health insurance for uninsured adult Hoosiers 19 to 64 years old whose household income is 22 to 200 percent of the federal poverty level and who are not eligible for Medicaid.

A family of four, for example, would be eligible if income does not exceed $41,300; the maximum income level for a family of two is $27,380. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recently approved the state's request for a Medicaid waiver, the final step toward implementation.

HIP participants will have a Personal Wellness and Responsibility Account, known as a POWER Account. Contributions to the account are made by the state and participants, who are required to make a modest contribution based on their ability to pay (not to exceed 5 percent of gross annual income). Coverage for preventive services of up to $500 annually is included.

FSSA Secretary Mitch Roob said this component of HIP will not only offer health care coverage but encourage and reward Hoosiers to adopt healthy behaviors and utilize preventive measures of the plan, such as annual check ups.

More information about HIP is available at www.in.gov/fssa or www.hip.in.gov.