Healthy Indiana Plan Offering POWER Account

Health Indiana Plan offers many benefits, one of which is called a POWER account. This is an account valued at $1,100 per adult to pay for medical expenses. The State of Indiana makes contributions to the account and each participant, based on a sliding scale, receives the benefit. No one will pay more than 5% of their gross annual family income, and many will pay less.

This plan also offers a basic commercial benefits option once the yearly medical expenses go over the $1,100. Coverage for preventative services is available for up to $500/year at no additional cost for members. Once the $500 limit is reached, preventative care is covered, but the POWER account would be used when necessary.

As with most types of plans, co-pays are required for all emergency care, but that would be the only service that has a co-pay. And even in the case of an emergency the co-pay would be returned if it is determined the service was a true emergency. The Healthy Indiana Plan does not currently cover dental, vision, or maternity care.

Healthy Indiana Plan Useful Information

Affordable health insurance in this day and age can be extremely challenging for some, especially if your employer does not offer a plan and you are in the poor population. If you live in Indiana though there is a great opportunity for you. It's called the Healthy Indiana Plan and it's available to lower income Indiana residents.

The state approved this plan back in January of 2008 by the Federal government through a waiver to reallocate Medicaid funds. To qualify for the plan, individuals must have been uninsured for more than 6 months, be ineligible for Medicare or Medicaid and be between the ages of 19-64. You must also be a US Citizen.

The plan has excellent coverage and will meet most applicants' needs. Some benefits include prescription coverage, physician services, hospital visits, home health care, hospice, family planning, disease management, mental health services and substance abuse help. Currently, dental, vision, and maternity care is not offered. Based on your income, there may be a monthly premium, but it ends up being only about 2-5% of one's income. See if the Healthy Indiana Plan is right for you.

Healthy Indiana Plan Nearing Capacity for Childless Adults

One year after the state launched a state-subsidized health care program for the uninsured, many people are in danger of losing access to Indiana health insurance due to an enrollment cap. 

Shari Rudaskvy from the Indianapolis Star says that the Healthy Indiana plan is close to reaching the cap of 34,000 on adults without children that are allowed to enroll. Currently, about half all 42,000 enrollees fall in that category.

Higher unemployment rates will probably lead to even more people applying for the plan, causing it to reach capacity even sooner. Those adults who have access to health insurance from their job (even if it's prohibitively expensive) or who need access to vision or dental care (HIP doesn't cover either) might find that it makes more sense to get health insurance quotes for another plan that could help them. The same goes for people who are underinsured.

Health Plan for Low Income Adults

The federal government has given Indiana the go-ahead on its plan to launch a state subsidized health insurance plan for low income adults that will be funded in part by an increase in the cigarette tax.

The deal will allow Indiana to provide health insurance coverage to about 130,000 uninsured Indiana residents.

The state will use about $140 million a year in cigarette tax money and matching federal dollars to fund the plan. The new program should be up and running by January.

The federal government will provide more than $1 billion over a five year period to help pay for the low income healthcare program.