Help for health

Editor’s note: This is the sixth in a series looking at child poverty in Jay County. The series will continue with additional stories and editorials over the course of the next few weeks.



Health care received as a child, and even before birth, has an effect throughout life.

Regular physician visits are recommended for children for regular check-ups, screenings/immunizations and simply developing an accurate health history.

But for families already struggling to pay for food and utilities, affording that care can be a challenge.

According to the 2016 American Community Survey, which relies on data from the U.S. Census Bureau, 13 percent of Jay County residents did not have health insurance. Additionally, the survey said 10.3 percent of children ages 17-and-younger were without health insurance. Compared to surrounding counties, Jay’s 10.3 percent is fourth highest, behind Adams (34.9 percent), Blackford (11.8) and Randolph (10.9).

The percentage of uninsured children in Jay is higher than that of the state (7.7 percent) and national (6.5 percent) averages.

On the other side of the state line, only 4.6 percent of Mercer County’s children are uninsured.

“Doesn’t surprise me based on the statistics I’ve seen,” said Dave Hyatt, CEO of Jay County Hospital. “Kids without insurance, there are programs designed specifically to help low-income families.

“Our mission is to improve the health of our community. We treat plenty of uninsured patients.”

There are employees at the hospital who can assist with gaining access to those programs. The Jay County Division of Family Resources, 1043 W. Votaw St, Portland, can also help with enrollment in insurance programs. The office is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

One of the available programs is Hoosier Healthwise, which is for pregnant women, children up to 19 and former foster children through age 25.

Administered by the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration, Hoosier Healthwise offers two options: Package A, which is a full-service plan for children and pregnant women with no premium or copayments; and Package C, a plan for children 19-and-younger which may include a premium and other fees.

Those who make less than $25,699 annually are eligible for Package A. The threshold for Package C is higher at $30,156. The program covers an array of services, including doctor visits, hospital care and prescription drugs.

The FSSA reported the Hoosier Healthwise enrollment in Jay County for January was 2,032.

The most common form of health coverage for low-income families is Medicaid. It provides assistance for basic medical care such as doctor visits, prescription drugs, surgeries and hospitalizations.

There are three types of Medicaid: full, limited or emergency, and applicants will be enrolled in the program that fits them the most. There are a number of factors that determine eligibility for Medicaid, including income and family size, age, resources/assets and medical needs.

Also available is the Presumptive Eligibility for Pregnant Women (PEPW), which offers temporary coverage of prenatal care while their Medicaid applications are pending. It is available to families of two that make $33,931 or less per year, with the income threshold increasing by $9,000 for each additional family member.

Since the Medicaid process can take some time, PEPW is designed to act as a security blanket to ensure pregnant mothers and their unborn child can receive the care they need.

PEPW covers a wide range of medical needs, including tests, lab work and other pregnancy needs. However, labor and delivery costs are not covered.

“It can be confusing,” Hyatt said of the enrollment process for insurance coverage. “(For a) parent that is burdened by a financial situation that is trying to work multiple jobs, sometimes sitting down and finding insurance can be a daunting task.”

To assist with the tedious process of enrolling in a healthcare program, Jay County Hospital uses ClaimAid to help individuals go through the application process, assess medical needs and help choose the right form of coverage.

Pam Lennartz, JCH director of business operations, acts as the liaison between the hospital and ClaimAid. She said in the unfortunate circumstance someone doesn’t qualify for one of ClaimAid’s services, the person is referred back to the hospital as a prospect for financial assistance.

“We can write off up to the entire bill,” Hyatt said, although he strongly suggests uninsured potential patients try to obtain coverage. “We do provide charity care and we want people to know that.”