PeachCare for All Kids

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PeachCare for All Kids

• Wouldnt it be better?

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300,000 Georgia children youth lack coverage
1 in 8 Georgia children
Equal to

All 1st Graders
All Pre-Kers
All Kindergarteners
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Why is being uninsured a problem?

• No regular source of care
• 10 times more likely not to get needed care
• School absences learning problems
• Parents missing work
• Long-term health issues
• Delayed care more expensive, less effective
• Lower earning power

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Who are uninsured children?

• 84 in working families
• Almost three-quarters with low or moderate family
  incomes (less than 40,000 for family
  of 4)
• This group in current Medicaid and PeachCare
  income range.
• Most in 2-parent families

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Why are children uninsured?

• Employers dropping dependent coverage
• High premiums/cost shares
• Private insurance expensive, skimpy
• Child excluded or capped due to health problems
• Public employees children ineligible for
  PeachCare

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Why make it PeachCare for All Kids?

• Working system in place
• Low administrative cost
• Coverage when children are well, coverage when
  theyre sick
• Federal government, state, and families share
  cost
• Popularity with Georgians
• Children of public employees eligible
• Relief of stress for all Georgia families
  businesses

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How would PeachCare for All Kids look?

• PeachCare for All Kids A
• Medicaid expanded to 200 of federal poverty
  level (40,000 family of 4). Same as Medicaid
  for pregnant women infants now.
• PeachCare for All Kids B
• Like current PeachCare with incomes between 200
  and 400 of poverty
• PeachCare for All Kids C
• Buy-in for children ineligible for A or B

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PeachCare for All Kids family cost-sharing

• Premiums and copays vary based on income in
  PeachCare for All Kids A B
• Buy-in for PeachCare for All Kids C based on
  favorable large group rate

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Services under PeachCare for All Kids

• Same comprehensive services for all children
  except Part A will also cover non-emergency
  transportation for those who need it.

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Why is it designed this way?

• State and federal governments share in the cost
• Families pay based on ability
• All families are eligible

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How much would PeachCare for All Kids cost?
About 150 million in state funds (children in
current eligibility income range not counting
premiums) Also, this brings in over 250 million
in federal funds Premium payments would lower
total
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How much is 150 million?

• Georgias share of 3 ½ weeks of current Medicaid
• Car tag tax the legislature may replace with
  state funds - 600 million
• FY 2007 impact of tax breaks enacted in last
  legislative term - 117 million
• Sales tax exemption on prescription drugs
  medical devices - 227 million

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How much does doing nothing cost?

• Leaving children uninsured costs 3 for every 1
  spent on a child receiving Medicaid (Illinois
  actuarial analysis)
• Georgia families with insurance pay 746 a year
  in additional premiums for all uninsured

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What else do we need to do to make the system
work best for children?

• Outreach
• Easy enrollment premium payment
• Reasonable payments to doctors and other health
  professionals
• Easy access to specialists

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PeachCare for All Kids works for Georgia.

• It works for families
• All children eligible
• All children in same plan
• Uninterrupted coverage during job change
• Coverage families can be proud of

• It works for business
• Reduced benefit administrative costs
• Workers focused on work
• Ga. businesses more competitive

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Who enacts PeachCare for All Kids?

• Governor
• Legislators
• Department of Community Health

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Georgians want action.

• Most Georgians are very willing to consider
  almost any solution to curb rising healthcare
  costs and increasing numbers of uninsured.
• Source Georgia Health Policy Center, Georgia
  Healthcare Coverage Project, Georgians
  Attitudes on Providing Coverage for the
  Uninsured.

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Who makes PeachCare for All Kids happen?