Established by the legislature in 1997 and initially funded by tobacco tariffs, the Family Health Insurance Assistance Program at the present helps just about 18000 low income people pay for health insurance.

Income eligibility is based on 185 percent of the federal poverty column. For an individual to qualify for assistance their income cannot exceed $1511 a month. A family of four might qualify with an income of $3084 or less a month.

FHIAP categorizes clientele into two groups for funding purposes: Individual- those without access to health insurance at work and Group – those whose employers do provide health insurance but the employee cannot afford the premiums.

To be eligible for a FHIAP subsidy, applicants must have been without insurance for six months, be a U.S. citizen living in Oregon, having savings and finances of less than $10,000 and not be eligible for or receiving Medicare. When discovering savings and investments FHIAP does not count IRAs, vehicles or owner occupied homes. Exceptions to the six-month rule are made when the applicant is allowing the Oregon Health Plan or has been on their employers insurance plan for less than 90 days.

After personality accepted by FHIAP, those covered under the individual plan choose a healthcare provider on the states accepted list. Choices include: Kaiser Permanente, ODS, Pacific source, BlueCross/BlueShield and several others. For those with preexisting conditions FHIAP can secure coverage through the Oregon Medical Insurance pool. Insurance providers bill FHIAP which in turn bills the individual for their allocation of the premium. On a $500 month premium subsidized at 95 percent FHIAP would pay $475. love any insurance policy FHIAP recipients are responsible for deductibles and co-pays.

Knowing that people duty a bewildering assortment of choices in choosing a healthcare provider FHIAP set up a toll free number where applicants can receive advice from experts about the best insurance policy to suit there needs.

Under the group insurance plan, members sign up with their employers health plan and the premium is carried directly from their paychecks. FHIAP reimburses members within four days of receiving a copy of their pay stub.

Once covered, members are required to reapply every 12 months. During the 12 month coverage period FHIAP does not require notification of any increase in income or assets.

According to FHIAP policy and legislative liaison Kelley Harms, the programs enrollment zoomed from 3400 people in 2000 to the current 18,000 in 2005. Harms attributed the increased number of people of covered to menacing publicity and the infusion of federal money starting in 2002. Federal matching properties account for 72 percent of FHIAPs budget; with the state of Oregon making up the remaining 28 percent.

Currently there is no waiting list for those who can obtain insurance through their employer or their spouses employer. FHIAP is advising individual applicant that the waiting list for coverage might be up to 12 months.

Harms urges people in need of insurance coverage not to be put off by the selection of a twelve month wait and to apply now. “Things change, people leave the program, and we could get more funding.” She said