By Tove Tupper
 
February 4, 2010
 
MEDFORD, Ore. - Oregon's Healthy Kids Plan is expanding in order to try and insure 95-percent of children in the state.
 
Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski will announce the final expansion phase Friday designed to provide health care for children in three different ways: No-cost, low-cost and affordable. All plans are based on a family's income and size.
 
The state worked with private insurance companies to create a state option insurance plan. The low-cost expansion allows families who fall within the two to 300-percent poverty line to receive that health insurance on a sliding fee scale. Taxpayers will help pay the premiums. Families that fall above the 300-percent poverty line are able to buy into the affordable health coverage.
 
"This is a tremendous effort to make sure our children have an opportunity to have good health, that good health allows them to grow, go to school, to learn, to become adults," said Peg Crowley with the Community Health Center in Jackson County.
 
Crowley says families who previously applied and were rejected probably qualify now.
 
The plan already has nearly 40,000 children enrolled, and hopes to cover another 80,000 with this expansion.
 
To apply, visit www.oregon.gov/DHS/healthykids/ or call 1-877-314-5678.