SR 09-34 Dated 10/09

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

INTER-DEPARTMENT COMMUNICATION

 

DFA SIGNATURE DATE:

November 12, 2009

FROM:

OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR, DFA Terry R. Smith

AT (OFFICE):

Division of Family Assistance

TO:

DFA Supervisors

District Office Managers of Operations

New Hampshire Healthy Kids Corporation

 

SUBJECT:

Increase in Premiums for the Title XXI Healthy Kids Silver (HKS) Program

RETROACTIVE EFFECTIVE DATE:

October 1, 2009

 

 

SUMMARY

 

This SR releases increases in the monthly premium amounts in the Title XXI Healthy Kids Silver (HKS) program.

 

FORMER POLICY

NEW POLICY

When net family income was over 185% but less than or equal to 250% of the federal poverty income guidelines:

·   Monthly premiums were $25 per month per child; and

·   the maximum monthly premium for families was capped at $100 per month, regardless of the number of children receiving HKS.

When net family income is over 185% but less than or equal to 250% of the federal poverty income guidelines:

·   Monthly premiums are now $32 per month per child; and

·   the maximum monthly premium for families is now capped at $128 per month, regardless of the number of children receiving HKS.

When net family income was over 250% but less than or equal to 300% of the federal poverty income guidelines:

·   Monthly premiums were $45 per month per child; and

·   The maximum monthly premium for families was capped at $135 per month, regardless of the number of children receiving HKS.

When net family income is over 250% but less than or equal to 300% of the federal poverty income guidelines:

·   Monthly premiums are now $54 per month per child; and

·   The maximum monthly premium for families is now capped at $162 per month, regardless of the number of children receiving HKS.

 

POLICY

 

In accordance with administrative rule changes at He-W 910.06, the monthly Healthy Kids Silver premium amounts increased as follows, effective October 1, 2009:

·   for families with income greater than 185% but less than or equal to 250% of the federal poverty income guidelines, monthly premiums increased by $7, from $25 to $32 per child per month. Additionally, the maximum monthly premium for families in this income group increased from $100 to $128 per month.

·   for families with income greater than 250% but less than or equal to 300% of the federal poverty income guidelines, monthly premiums increased by $9, from $45 to $54 per child per month. Additionally, the maximum monthly premium for families in this income group increased from $135 to $162 per month.

 

New Hampshire Healthy Kids Corporation (NHHKC) has updated all enrollment and public education information to reflect the changes released in this SR.

 

NEW HEIGHTS SYSTEMS PROCEDURES AND IMPLEMENTATION

 

No New HEIGHTS changes were needed because NHHKC collects, processes, and monitors the payment of premiums.

 

POLICY MANUAL REVISIONS

 

Revised Family Assistance Manual Topics

 

Section 220.03  Eligibility Requirements

 

IMPLEMENTATION

 

The premium increases released in this SR were effective October 1, 2009.

 

CLIENT NOTIFICATION

 

On July 17, 2009, NHHKC sent a letter to all HKS families describing the premium increases. The text of the letter is attached for reference.

 

Additionally, notification of the change in the amount of HKS premiums was announced at the July 16, 2009 Joint Legislative Committee on Administrative Rules, during the interim administrative rules process. Now that regular rulemaking has been promulgated for this change, the information was published in the NH Rulemaking Register, Office of Legislative Services, on October 23, 2009, and a public hearing on the amended Administrative Rules will be held on November 13, 2009.

 

TRAINING

 

No training on this topic is planned.

 

DISPOSITION

 

This SR may be destroyed or deleted after its contents have been noted and the revised manual topics released by this SR have been posted to the On-line manuals.

 

DISTRIBUTION

 

This SR will be distributed according to the electronic distribution list for Division of Family Assistance policy releases. This SR, and revised On-Line Manuals, will be available for agency staff in the On-Line Manual Library, and for public access on the Internet at http://www.dhhs.nh.gov/DHHS/DFA/LIBRARY, effective December 7, 2009. Additionally, this SR, and printed pages with posting instructions, will be distributed under separate cover to all internal hard copy holders of the Family Assistance Manual.

 

DFA/JBV:s