Family Voices Indiana

Family Voices Indiana shares the following information from Covering Kids and Families:
October 10, 2013
The updated HIP application will be available on October 15.  This application will be available at:  http://www.in.gov/fssa/hip/2332.htm.  The HIP application will contain a supplemental form that contains additional information in order to comply with ACA and MAGI (Modified Adjusted Gross Income) methodology.  The current HIP application is available for use and will be available at the website above until October 15.

An individual can reapply for HIP at any time.  Please note that there are several changes to HIP effective 1-1-14.  MAGI methodology will be used effective 1-1-14, and the income standard will decrease from 200% of the federal poverty level (FPL) to 100%.  There will be a 5% income disregard applied if the individual would have otherwise been ineligible (those having income between 100% - 105% FPL).  If you believe the individual is over 105% FPL, the individual may w…

Family Voices Indiana shares this article from Kaiser Health as a resource for families who are trying to better understand the Affordable Care Act:

By Michelle Andrews OCT 08, 2013 The state health insurance marketplaces that opened Oct. 1 give consumers who are looking for coverage on the individual market a whole new way to shop for health plans. At the same time, health insurance brokers and insurers will also continue to sell plans directly to customers. Sorting out who’s selling what can be confusing.

What's more, some brokers and insurers will not just sell policies that are outside the marketplaces. They may also offer marketplace plans and their customers may be eligible for subsidies for those marketplace plans. While shoppers can find good coverage going any of these routes, the plans and services offered may differ in important ways. The Affordable Care Act has fundamentally changed the market for individual health insurance. In the past, insurers held nearly all the ca…

With flu season officially beginning October 1, families should take steps now to ensure that everyone in the household is as protected as possible, especially children/youth with special health care needs/disabilities. 
A recent study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), based in part on a survey of families developed in partnership with Family Voices which was distributed through Family-to-Family Health Information and FV State Affiliate Organization networks, reveals these key findings relevant to CYSHCN: Only half of children with neurologic and neurodevelopmental conditions are vaccinated against the flu each year.  Families view their child’s doctor as the main source of information about the flu.Many pediatricians do not recognize intellectual disability as a high-risk condition for the flu. These findings are significant because in a report published last year, CDC documented that 64% of children with underlying health conditions who died from the flu had…

United Way campaigns are underway all over the state again! Did you know that you can support Family Voices Indiana through your United Way campaign?


United Way has a designated donation program, where you can direct your donation to a specific organization. To select Family Voices Indiana for your designated donation, just write our full legal name, Family Voices Indiana, in the lines available on your pledge card. If you have questions about how to direct your donation, you can contact your United Way campaign chairperson or Family Voices Indiana at 317 944 8982. We would be happy to help you.
You can also make a one time donation via our website: http://www.fvindiana.org/about_us/donations
Add your voice to help get the word out to more families, reach out to new partners, and provide extended support to families raising children with special health care needs and/or disabilities. Your gift of $25, $50, $100 or more will speak volumes about your commitment to Indiana families Please give …

By Emily McKinley, Health Information Specialist

It’s official: The Insurance Marketplace Exchanges are open for business. In case you missed the priming, the Marketplaces officially opened October 1, and consumers may now browse, compare, and purchase individual and family insurance coverage on those exchanges. When consumers purchase insurance on the Exchange, tax credits and premium cost-sharing reductions are applied to eligible consumer policy rates if a silver (or higher) plan is purchased. For more information about plan selection and considerations, please read our Guide to Purchasing Health Insurance, available here.
Applications for which Medicaid income and resources eligibility are met will be forwarded to the appropriate state agency, in Indiana, the Division of Family Resources.
If you or a family member are covered by PCIP (Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan) or ICHIA (Indiana Comprehensive Health Insurance Association), the plan will terminate at the end of this c…