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Gov. Rod Blagojevich signed a bill July 1 expanding benefits for KidCare to families with incomes up to 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Level and benefits for FamilyCare to families with incomes up to185 percent of the FPL, phased in over three years. FamilyCare eligibility has been expanded to 90 percent of the FPL for next year. The numbers were previously 185 percent and 49 percent of the FPL, respectively.
Jackson County alone provides total insurance benefits to 787 children and pregnant mothers and 113 parents through KidCare and FamilyCare. The program expansions will provide service for 20,000 additional children and 65,000 additional working parents throughout Illinois next year alone.
According to Mike Claffey of the Public Aid Office, KidCare provides well child and well baby visits, immunizations, prescription coverage, eye and dental care, mental health, prenatal care and delivery, among other benefits to minors and pregnant women, at lesser or no cost to eligible parents. FamilyCare provides similar benefits for eligible parents.
Abby Ottenhoff, spokeswoman for the governor's office in Chicago, said the state would spend a combined $25.8 million on the two programs this year. The total cost exceeds $63 million next year alone. The FamilyCare expansion is expected to service 300,000 working parents annually by 2005.
The federal government will pay 65 percent of the cost for the expansions, leaving the state to pay only 35 percent of the overall cost.
"This is an important way for Illinois families to continue making progress," Ottenhoff said. "When parents are healthy, they do a better job of taking care of the kids and when the kids are healthy, they can keep going to school to learn."
Ottenhoff said the state government has been eligible to receive additional federal support for extended KidCare and FamilyCare programs for a number of years, though it wasn't until recently that the General Assembly passed the legislations.
"Some legislators have been pushing for an expansion for awhile, but the previous administration did not approve it," she said.
Previously, a family of three was only eligible for KidCare if their annual income was below $28,316. The figure was below $9,000 for Family Care eligibility. Effective July 1, a family of three making up to $30,516 can receive KidCare benefits. The number for FamilyCare will be $28,316 by 2005.
"The feeling is that if the parents are healthy, they are in a better position to take care of their kids and keep them healthy," Claffey said.
Ottenhoff said that even with the budget situation, the governor felt that the two programs were worthy of investment.
"It's important to help working families," she said.
