Governor Warner Announces Online Application for FAMIS Child Health Insurance Program
Governor Warner Announces Online Application for FAMIS Child Health Insurance Program
VCU Medical Center takes lead role in using the online application
Governor Mark R. Warner today announced the unveiling of a new FAMIS (Family Access to Medical Insurance Security Plan) online application, allowing parents and other caregivers to apply for health insurance coverage for uninsured children through any computer with an Internet connection. The new e-application was demonstrated today by the Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS) during a statewide Web broadcast hosted by VCU Medical Center in Richmond.
"This online FAMIS application is another major step forward in our effort to expand access to this critically important health care coverage for children," Governor Warner said. "This is smart use of technology to help our citizens get better access to government services - in this case, a federal and state-funded program serving about 414,000 children."
Virginia's FAMIS program is a national leader in enrolling uninsured children. Governor Warner and the General Assembly have created policies that simplified the application process by removing barriers to enrollment, simplifying forms, making application sites more widely available, and promoting the program aggressively statewide.
The response from families has been very positive, with 88 percent of new FAMIS enrollees stating that the FAMIS application process was easy or very easy, according to a December 2004 survey conducted by DMAS and Virginia Health Care Foundation. Allowing families to apply for health coverage through the FAMIS Web site makes any computer with Internet access an application site.
The online application has already proven successful. It was made available on February 1, 2005 and, without any advertising, 30 percent of all new applications received at FAMIS are now electronic applications.
The new online application also gives providers, local government offices, schools, and community organizations a new tool in their efforts to help children find health coverage.
In the Richmond area, VCU Medical Center has taken a lead role in using the online application to link uninsured children with health insurance. VCU Medical Center is piloting three "Application Stations:" at the NICU, the Pediatric Emergency Room, and the VCU Children's Pavilion. At both the NICU and Emergency Room sites, families will have access to a hotline phone to the FAMIS call center and a computer with the online FAMIS application. The Children's Pavilion location has been set up with a staff person to guide families through the application process.
"The VCU Medical Center is excited to participate in this project with DMAS. What is being introduced provides an innovative option for families to begin the process of obtaining insurance coverage while visiting their health care provider's office," said Sheryl Garland, vice president of community outreach for the VCU Health System. "The VCU Department of Pediatrics has been instrumental in supporting the development of a mechanism to streamline the FAMIS application process which is congruent with the university's ongoing outreach efforts and mission to help provide adequate coverage for all."
Located on two downtown campuses in Richmond, Va., Virginia Commonwealth University is ranked nationally by the Carnegie Foundation as a top research institution and enrolls more than 28,500 students in more than 170 certificate, undergraduate, graduate, professional and doctoral programs in the arts, sciences and humanities in 15 schools and one college. Forty of the university's programs are unique in Virginia, and 20 graduate and professional programs have been ranked by U.S. News & World Report as among the best of their kind. MCV Hospitals, clinics and the health sciences schools of Virginia Commonwealth University compose the VCU Medical Center, one of the leading academic medical centers in the country. For more, see www.vcu.edu.
FAMIS provides health insurance to uninsured children. This includes comprehensive medical benefits, including doctor's visits, hospital care; drugs, dental care, and eye care. Families may apply for FAMIS, Virginia's state and federally funded health insurance program for moderate to low-income children, by calling toll-free 1-866-87FAMIS (1-866-873-2647), filling out an e-application at the FAMIS Web site, or by visiting their local Department of Social Services office. For more information about FAMIS please visit www.famis.org.
The webcast was part of the FAMIS Cover the Uninsured Week 2005 week-long "We've got the Technology-Now Let's Use It" campaign. The week is part of the national, bipartisan Cover the Uninsured Week campaign, sponsored by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, focusing on the plight of the uninsured and underinsured. This is the third year that FAMIS has participated at a state level in the campaign. A recording of the webcast will be made available to view at www.famis.org.