Area residents who have children with special chronic health care needs may find financial help for medical expenses through Children’s Special Health Care Services (CSHCS), according to a news release from the Barry Eaton District Health Department.
The health care service is a program of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services that coordinates and pays for specialty health care for children and some adults with special health care needs.
It helps pay for specialty medical bills and can cover co-pays and deductibles for those with insurance or Medicaid. For those without insurance, it can provide specialty coverage. Help may also be available for travel expenses related to a child’s specialty medical care, the release said.
The child’s medical condition, not the parent’s income, determines if they qualify for CSHCS. More than 2,700 chronic medical conditions are eligible for CSHCS coverage, including asthma, cancer, cerebral palsy, cleft palate, liver disease, limb abnormalities, certain vision disorders, paralysis or spinal injuries, cystic fibrosis, hemophilia, insulin-dependent diabetes, muscular dystrophy, certain heart conditions, epilepsy, and kidney disease.
The child must live in Michigan and be 20 years old or under, with the exception that there is no age restriction for cystic fibrosis and hemophilia. Families of all incomes can enroll their child, including those with other health insurance.
This means that any eligible child with an accepted medical condition can use CSHCS, regardless of their family’s ability to pay. There is a sliding-scale fee to join CSHCS that is based on family income and family size. If the client has Medicaid or MIChild insurance or has a court-appointed guardian or is in foster care, the fee is waived.
The BEDHD is an advocate for CSHCS and provides services to eligible residents in Barry and Eaton counties, working with local families to help them get needed medical-related services to ensure the very best care.
“BEDHD serves as the link between the health care programs, the family, and the local community to assist clients in receiving services they need,” said program nurse Kindra Reeser-Smith. “I’m happy to connect with families to develop a proactive plan of care and community-based care coordination.”
For more information, call (269) 798-4115 (Barry County) or (517) 541-2696 (Eaton County). Join the program’s Facebook support group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/BarryEatonCSHCS/. For more information visit www.michigan.gov/cshcs.
