The Arkansas CHIP was created in 1995 to provide basic health coverage to Arkansas residents with pre-existing conditions which had rendered them medically uninsurable on the individual market. Under regulations implemented by the federal HIPAA law CHIP has become a qualified high risk pool offering coverage to residents who exhaust their coverage options in the group market. In order to be eligible for CHIP you must fall into one of the following 3 categories:
1. Federally Eligible Individual
a. A resident of Arkansas
b. Had 18 months of coverage without a break of 63 days
c. Previous coverage through a group plan, government plan, or church plan
d. Not covered by or eligible for other coverage
e. Not have had previous coverage terminated because of nonpayment or fraud
f. Have used up your COBRA coverage
2. Resident Eligible Person
a. Have been an AR resident for at least 90 days and present evidence of notice of rejection by insurance carrier to issue similar coverage or refusal by insurer to issue except at a rate-up of at least 50% greater than CHIP’s comparable premium OR
b. Have been an AR resident for at least 30 days and present evidence of coverage under a qualified high risk pool from another state that ended no more than 63 days prior to applying for AR CHIP which was not terminated for fraud AND
c. Not enrolled in or eligible for coverage through Medicaid or ARKids
d. Not enrolled in other coverage (except while satisfying AR CHIP’s pre-existing condition waiting period)
e. Not have previously terminated CHIP coverage within the last 12 months
f. Not have previously received CHIP benefits equaling $1 million or more
g. Not be a resident of a public institution
h. Not have premium paid on your behalf by any government sponsored program
3. Health Coverage Tax Credit (HCTC) – an individual qualified under HCTC may be eligible for CHIP coverage without being subject to pre-existing condition exclusions if
a. 3 months previous coverage without a break of 63 days or more
b. Be legally domiciled in AR
c. Not be incarcerated
d. Not be eligible or enrolled in Medicare part A or B
e. Present AR CHIP with a copy of a letter from the HCTC program
f. Not be enrolled in Medicaid, ARKids, a federal employee health plan, a US military health plan, an employer health plan
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