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The Child Health Committee is working
to increase the number of children enrolled in Medical Assistance
and Pennsylvania's CHIP, a free and low cost insurance program;
and to improve access to care for low-income children.
Children in low-income families may qualify for
either Medical Assistance (MA) or the state Children's Health Insurance
Program (CHIP). Hundreds of children in BucksCounty do not have
health insurance, yet many of these uninsured children are eligible
for one of these programs. Children without insurance are less likely
to have a medical home for preventive services and continuity of
care; they are more likely to use hospital emergency departments
for non-acute medical conditions.
A primary goal of this committee is to identify
eligible children and assist their parents in completing an application
for free or low cost insurance. The committee partners with hospitals,
Bucks County Health Department, Bucks County Medical Society, schools,
social service agencies, the County Assistance Office, doctors and
medical office managers, pharmacies, grocery stores, insurance companies,
and other businesses to promote the availability of these health
insurance programs.
The Child Health Committee developed a system
for providing free help with MA and CHIP applications, through two
partner agencies that provide enrollment assistance over the telephone
and in person:
- The Free Clinic of Doylestown (1-800-462-0819)
While continuing outreach and enrollment assistance,
the committee will advocate for systemic changes to make the enrollment
and re-enrollment processes easier and user-friendly. The committee
also serves as a network for the exchange of information about health-related
programs serving children in low-income families.
For more information about the Child Health
Committee, contact:
Madeleine Henderson, Child Health Committee
chair
Community Relations
Lower Bucks Hospital
501 Bath Road
Bristol, PA 19007
215-785-9955
Email: henderm@lowerbuckshospital.org
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