The new radio spots and other outreach efforts are aimed at signing up those children plus another 55,000 who were already eligible but had not been enrolled. In the first three months of the expanded program, it has signed up nearly 20,000 additional children. Eligibility for Hoosier Healthwise is determined by federal income guidelines. The state has also made it easier and more convenient to enroll. The Family and Social Services Administration, which oversees Hoosier Healthwise, trimmed the enrollment form down from 14 pages to a single sheet of paper written in everyday language.
Parents now can begin the enrollment process by phone, then mail in the application.
If they prefer to sign up their children in person, they can choose from 500 enrollment centers around the state, up from only 100 just a few months ago. The new enrollment centers include hospitals, WIC clinics, Head Start centers, township trustee s offices, county health departments, community action programs, even child care centers, in addition to the Division of Family and Children offices in all 92 counties. Indiana was chosen to help start the national hotline because of the O Bannon administration s impressive efforts for children s health, according to the National Governors Association. The NGA and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services are sponsoring the commercials. The spots will run on radio stations WTLC, WFMS and WGRL in Indianapolis, WLTH in Gary and WBTU in Fort Wayne.