Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)
If you or your children are eligible for Medicaid or CHIP and you are eligible for health coverage from your employer, your state may have a premium assistance program that can help pay for coverage.
These states use funds from their Medicaid or CHIP programs to help people who are eligible for these programs, but who also have access to health insurance through their employer. If you or your children are not eligible for Medicaid or CHIP, you will not be eligible for these premium assistance programs.
If you or your dependents are already enrolled in Medicaid or CHIP and you live in a state listed below, you can contact your state Medicaid or CHIP office to find out if premium assistance is available.
If you or your dependents are not currently enrolled in Medicaid or CHIP, and you think you or any of your dependents might be eligible for either of these programs, you can contact your state Medicaid or CHIP office (listed below) to find out how to apply or call 877-KIDS-NOW (877-543-7669) or visit Insurekidsnow.gov. If you qualify, you can ask the state if it has a program that might help you pay the premiums for an employer-sponsored plan.
Once it is determined that you or your dependents are eligible for premium assistance under Medicaid or CHIP, as well as eligible under your employer plan, your employer must permit you to enroll in your employer plan if you are not already enrolled. This is called a “special enrollment” opportunity and you must request coverage within 60 days of being determined eligible for premium assistance.
If you have questions about enrolling in your employer plan, you can contact the Department of Labor (contact below).
If you live in one of the following states, you may be eligible for assistance paying your employer health plan premiums. The following list of states is current as of August 2016. You should contact your state for further information on eligibility. To see if any more states have added a premium assistance program since August 2016, or for more information on special enrollment rights, you can contact either:
- U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration: dol.gov/agencies/ebsa or 866-444-EBSA (866-444-3272)
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services: cms.gov or 877-267-2323, Menu Option 4, Ext. 61565
| STATE | RESOURCES |
|---|---|
| Alabama | Medicaid: medicaid.alabama.gov 334-242-5000 |
| Alaska | Medicaid: dhss.alaska.gov/dpa/pages/medicaid/default.aspx 800-770-5650 or 907-644-6800 |
| Arizona | CHIP: azahcccs.gov 602-417-4000 or 800-523-0231 (out of state) |
| Colorado | Medicaid: colorado.gov/hcpf 800-866-3513 (in state) or 800-221-3943 (out of state) |
| Florida | Medicaid: flmedicaidtplrecovery.com 877-357-3268 |
| Georgia | Medicaid: medicaid.georgia.gov/ 800-436-7442 |
| Idaho | Medicaid: healthandwelfare.idaho.gov or 800-926-2588 CHIP: medicaid.idaho.gov or 800-926-2588 |
| Indiana | Medicaid: in.gov/fssa 877-438-4479 |
| Iowa | Medicaid: https://hhs.iowa.gov/programs/welcome-iowa-medicaid 888-346-9562 |
| Kansas | Medicaid: kdhe.ks.gov/250/About-Medicaid-CHIP 800-792-4884 |
| Kentucky | Medicaid: chfs.ky.gov/agencies/dms/Pages/default.aspx 800-635-2570 |
| Louisiana | Medicaid: dhh.louisiana.gov 888-342-6207 |
| Maine | Medicaid: maine.gov/dhhs/ofi/public-assistance/index.html 800-977-6740 |
| Massachusetts | Medicaid & CHIP: mass.gov/MassHealth 800-841-2900 |
| Minnesota | Medicaid: mn.gov/dhs 800-657-3672 |
| Missouri | Medicaid: dss.mo.gov/mhd/participants/pages/hipp.htm 573-751-2005 |
| Montana | Medicaid: healthcare.mt.gov 800-362-8312 |
| Nebraska | Medicaid: ACCESSNebraska.ne.gov 800-383-4278 |
| Nevada | Medicaid: medicaid.nv.gov/ 800-992-0900 |
| New Hampshire | Medicaid: dhhs.nh.gov/programs-services/medicaid 603-271-5218 |
| New Jersey | Medicaid: state.nj.us/humanservices/dmahs/clients/medicaid or 800-356-1561 CHIP: njfamilycare.org/index.html or 800-701-0710 |
| New York | Medicaid: health.ny.gov/publications/0548/medicaid 800-541-2831 |
| North Carolina | Medicaid: medicaid.ncdhhs.gov 800-662-7030 |
| North Dakota | Medicaid: https://www.hhs.nd.gov/healthcare/medicaid 800-755-2604 |
| Oklahoma | Medicaid & CHIP: okhca.org 888-365-3742 |
| Oregon | Medicaid & CHIP: oregon.gov/shiba/Pages/index.aspx 800-699-9075 |
| Pennsylvania | Medicaid: compass.state.pa.us 800-692-7462 |
| Rhode Island | Medicaid: healthyrhode.ri.gov/ 855-840-4774 |
| South Carolina | Medicaid: scdhhs.gov 888-549-0820 |
| South Dakota | Medicaid: dss.sd.gov 605-773-3165 |
| Texas | Medicaid: gethipptexas.com 800-440-0493 |
| Utah | Medicaid: chip.health.utah.gov 801-538-6003 |
| Vermont | Medicaid: info.healthconnect.vermont.gov/Medicaid 855-899-9600 |
| Virginia | Medicaid: dmas.virginia.gov or 800-432-5924 CHIP: chipofvirginia.org/ or 866-873-2647 |
| Washington | Medicaid: hca.wa.gov 800-562-3022 ext. 15473 |
| West Virginia | Medicaid: dhhr.wv.gov/bms 304-558-1700 |
| Wisconsin | Medicaid: dhs.wisconsin.gov/badgercareplus/index.htm 800-947-3529 |
| Wyoming | Medicaid: health.wyo.gov/healthcarefin/medicaid/ 307-777-7531 |