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Press Releases: 2008

Select Health of South Carolina Launches New Health Plan for Uninsured Kids

90,000 Children Are Eligible To Enroll In Health Care Plan

In an effort to provide health insurance for more uninsured children, Select Health of South Carolina has recently launched its First Choice Kids managed health care plan. To date, nearly 1,000 children are enrolled in the plan.

Since May, Select Health has offered First Choice Kids, a free health plan, as a health insurance option for the children of working families. As part of the state's Healthy Connections Kids health insurance program, First Choice Kids is designed to provide health insurance for children whose family earns too much to qualify for Medicaid but not enough to afford a private health insurance plan. Based on projections provided by the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (SCDHHS), 90,000 children are eligible to enroll in the health plan.

Kathleen Causey, the mother of two children enrolled in the First Choice Kids plan, says her family who lives in Myrtle Beach could not afford private health insurance. Causey said she and her husband, Jason, actively looked for cheaper plans on the Internet and then found some information about First Choice Kids. After calling Select Health and then speaking to a Medicaid representative to apply, she learned that her family qualified for the First Choice kids plan.

"We are so happy that we qualified. By the time we paid for health insurance, it didn't leave us with much. This helps us out a lot," Causey said.

The Causeys initial concerns about how they were going to afford health insurance for their children may reflect similar concerns other parents may have. Causey urges other parents to learn more about First Choice Kids. "It's a great program for anyone who has kids, needs insurance, and who qualifies," she added.

J. Michael Jernigan, chief executive officer of Select Health, agrees.

"As the largest Medicaid managed care organization operating statewide, we are pleased to be able to offer health care to more children. As a company whose mission is centered on providing care and building healthy communities, one solution to achieving this goal is to reduce the number of uninsured children who live in our state and making sure our kids receive the health care they need and deserve," Jernigan said.

First Choice Kids Eligibility Requirements
While the child's family must meet specific income guidelines, SCDHHS determines eligibility. However, in general, children may qualify for the First Choice Kids plan if they:

• Are legal U.S. citizens and residents of South Carolina
• Have a Social Security card, or the family agrees to apply for the card
• The family's countable resources (such as cash and money in bank accounts) total $30,000 or less
• Are under 19 years of age
• Do not have comprehensive health coverage
• Have been uninsured for three months unless their health coverage was involuntarily dropped

After SCDHHS approves the application, notification will be sent notifying the parent or guardian of their child's enrollment into the plan. Once enrolled, children receive the following benefits:

• Doctor's Office Visits
• Well-Child Visits
• Immunizations
• Inpatient and Outpatient Hospital Visits
• Vision Care (1 free eye exam and 1 pair of eyeglasses each year)
• Dental Care (provided by Medicaid)
• Emergency Services

For more information about SC DHHS Healthy Connections Kids, please contact an enrollment counselor at 1.877.552.4642.

About Select Health
Incorporated in 1995, Select Health was licensed as a Health Maintenance Organization by the South Carolina Department of Insurance in 1996. Later that year, the company contracted with the Department of Health and Human Services to offer First Choice, the state’s first Medicaid managed care plan. Select Health is accredited by URAC and is a wholly owned subsidiary of AmeriHealth Mercy. The AmeriHealth Mercy Family of Companies touches the lives of more than 2.4 million members nationwide. For more information, visit www.selecthealthofsc.com.