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May 26, 2008

7:38 p.m.: FSSA admits problems with HIP

State confident in most of the progress being made

By Brandi Watters

ANDERSON — As the Healthy Indiana Plan approaches its six-month anniversary, Family and Social Services Administration officials are citing various victories and a few problems with the plan.

While the state’s answer to the uninsured Hoosier problem has currently helped 13,538 Hoosiers get access to health care at a low cost, FSSA Secretary Mitch Roob said the program is not yet helping at least one group of Hoosiers.

The current plan excludes Hoosiers who have access to health insurance through their employer. The problem, according to Roob, is that while employer-provided coverage is available, it is often too expensive for folks earning between 100 percent and 300 percent of the federal poverty level.

In order to be eligible for HIP, which gives low-cost health insurance to needy Hoosiers, participants must earn less than 200 percent of the federal poverty level and not have access to employer-sponsored health care coverage.

“The question is, how do we deal with people above 100 percent of poverty,” Roob said.

The HIP plan has enough funding to cover about 130,000 needy Hoosiers, according to the State of Indiana Web site. Around 400,000 Hoosiers are uninsured and living below poverty standards.

“The program is designed for people who don’t have access to employer-sponsored health care,” Roob said. It does not address those who cannot afford health care offered by employers — yet.

While the system is not yet serving every Hoosier in need, Roob said it is making history, explaining that no other state has formed a plan like HIP. “No one else is doing it the way we’re doing it.”

While the plan is well on its way to insuring 13,538 eligible Hoosiers, Roob admitted HIP is not yet a perfect system. “We never claimed this was the end all and be all. This is an important first step.”

Local numbers

For the first few months of the HIP rollout, it looked as though Madison County would lead the state in the number of enrolled Hoosiers. In recent months, the numbers have dropped compared to larger cities but Roob is still impressed with the turnout.

“Delaware and Madison counties are two of our star counties in getting people signed up,” Roob said.

As of May 19, Madison County had sent in 1,536 applications for the HIP program. Approximately 580 Madison County residents were found eligible for the program, according to FSSA documents.

Larger populations in Lake and Marion counties have taken the lead in applications filed and number of eligible citizens.

Across the state, FSSA is seeing great progress, according to Roob. “We’re adding about 1,000 eligible every 10 days.”

So far, the state has received 46,995 applications. About 10,390 Hoosiers have been denied coverage. Some of which are those who fall below poverty standards, but have access to employer-sponsored health coverage.

With the high volume of applications filed, Roob said the state agency has had to double its staff. “We’re confident with the rate at which we’re growing.”

While HIP can only cover about 130,000 of the 400,000 uninsured Hoosiers, Roob is confident the state has time before the money runs out. “It’ll take us two and a half to three years to get there.”

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Zachary Gillam, 16, and George Stokes, 19, go after a rebound as they play in a pickup game of basketball at Pulaski Park Monday afternoon. Late last fall repairs were made to the courts with new posts, backboards and rims along with resealing and painting the courts. With the warm February weather players have been getting out to check out the refurbished courts.

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