Photo Caption: Tom Foley, right, director of PA 211 NE / Help Line services for Family Service Association of NEPA, speaks to WBRE-TV 28 reporter Mark Hiller at the press conference announcing the ‘Get Kids Covered’ awareness campaign.

PA 211 NE, United Way of Wyoming Valley, and Maternal and Family Health Services collaborate to have uninsured seek free, low-cost insurance via PA’s Medicaid and CHIP

The Family Service Association of Northeastern Pennsylvania (FSA), United Way of Wyoming Valley, and Maternal and Family Health Services (MFHS) are collaborating on a regional educational program with national implications as the three nonprofit agencies localize the national “211 Get Kids Covered” campaign.

The awareness campaign’s goal is to encourage parents and caregivers to call their regional Pennsylvania 211 provider for information about getting children enrolled in Pennsylvania’s Medicare or Children’s Health Insurance programs (CHIP), if they do not have healthcare coverage through an employer-based insurance program. Luzerne County residents can contact PA 211 Northeast, a free information and referral service provided by FSA, by dialing 211, texting 211 (898 211 and zip code), or logging on to PA 211 NE’s website at www.pa211ne.org.

Parents and caregivers who experience high call volume at regional 211 centers can also text INSUREKIDSNOW to 211-211 for necessary eligibility information and directions on how to enroll in the programs. Additional information also is available at www.InsureKidsNow.gov.

“We provide essential programs for families with young children in Northeast Pennsylvania. Making sure children have access to a regular source of health care is a key component of our service to the community,” Maria Montoro Edwards, Ph.D., president and CEO of MFHS, said, explaining her agency’s role in improving community health. “Through the WIC Nutrition Program and the Nurse-Family Partnership Program, MFHS is a trusted resource for families in Luzerne County.

“We are often the first point of access for families in need of services for infants and young children, and we work in partnership with PA 211 Northeast to connect families to CHIP and other resources to improve overall health and wellness,” added Dr. Edwards.

In Luzerne County, nearly 1,800 children and youth age 18 and under are uninsured (2.7%), according to the Institute for Public Policy at Wilkes University. Overall, Pennsylvania has the eighth highest number of uninsured children in the country, with nearly 128,000 lacking coverage, according to a 2020 report by Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children.

“Every child in Pennsylvania should have health coverage and we are excited to partner with PA 211 NE on such an important community-outreach project that impacts many low-income children,’’ said Bill Jones, president and chief executive officer of the United Way of Wyoming Valley. “This campaign takes on an added layer of importance due to COVID-19 and the imminent return of students to classrooms over the next several weeks.’’

“211 Get Kids Covered” is a national campaign that features United Way agencies collaborating with providers of 211 services throughout the country. Pennsylvania 211 oversees six regional 211 providers in the Commonwealth, including FSA’s PA 211 NE, which serves 17 counties in Northeastern and North-Central Pennsylvania.

“PA 211 NE is proud to play an integral role in helping parents and caregivers secure the healthcare coverage their children need to lead healthy and productive lives,’’ said Janyne Gurnari, interim chief executive officer of FSA. “For more than 125 years, the Family Service Association of Northeastern Pennsylvania has worked to connect people to the health and human service programs they need to address challenging situations in their lives. Through community partnerships, like this one, we have been able to lessen the impact of those situations on the people and communities we aim to lift up.”

Financial guidelines, state residency, citizenship, and age determine eligibility for Pennsylvania’s Medicaid Program. A family of four, for example, can earn up to $35,245 and may be eligible for coverage. The income limit increases to $41,284 for a family of five and continues to increase based on the size of the family. Annual household income levels and eligibility requirements are different for the state’s CHIP Program. A family of four that earns $79,500, for example, but is ineligible for Pennsylvania’s Medicaid Program, may qualify if they meet certain criteria, such as age, state residency and citizenship status.

Overall, the benefit programs offer free or low-cost health insurance that covers doctor’s visits, well visits, hospital stays, prescriptions, vaccines and more. For complete information about coverage and eligibility, please contact PA 211 NE by phone, text or website.

The United Way launched the national campaign on social media, including Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. The United Way of Wyoming Valley and FSA also will utilize social media platforms to provide information on how to enroll children in the state’s benefit programs. The local and national campaigns will feature hashtags, such as #coveragematters, #healthykids and #healthinsurance.

The public can also follow the United Way of Wyoming Valley (@UWWValley on Facebook, @UnitedWayWV on Instagram, and @UnitedWayWB on Twitter), and FSA (@FSANEPA on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter), on each of their social media accounts to receive information and directions about enrolling in the benefit programs.

Overall, PA 211 NE is a 24/7/365 safety-net service that connects people to information and referrals they need to address a large variety of services that address food, housing and financial insecurity, physical or mental health care, drug and alcohol detoxification or rehabilitation, crisis management, and much more. Today, PA 211 NE is available in 17 counties, including Bradford, Clinton, Columbia, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Lycoming, Monroe, Montour, Northumberland, Pike, Snyder, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Tioga, Union, Wayne and Wyoming counties.

Additional information about FSA is available online at www.fsanepa.org, or by calling (570) 823-5144 or emailing, families@fsanepa.org.