Information for Families:
Enrollment

CHIP coverage is prospective - relative to cut-off and when processing the application is complete.

Cut-off each month is approximately 10 calendar days from the end of the month.

Tentative Monthly Enrollment Cut-off Dates, 2009

Friday, January 16, 2009
Friday, February 13, 2009
Friday, March 20, 2009
Friday, April 17, 2009
Friday, May 15, 2009
Friday, June 19, 2009
Friday, July 17, 2009
Friday, August 21, 2009

Tentative Monthly Enrollment Cut-off Dates, 2010

January 15, 2010
February 12, 2010
March 19, 2010
April 16, 2010
May 14, 2010

New Application Enrollment

Once eligibility has been determined and a potential start date is established, the family receives a CHIP welcome letter or an enrollment confirmation letter, depending on whether the family lives in an area where there is a choice of CHIP health plans. If the family does have a choice of CHIP health plans, the welcome letter will come with a health plan enrollment form and a payment coupon (if the family needs to pay an enrollment fee.) The family that has a choice of CHIP health plans must take the following steps to complete enrollment:

  • Pick a health plan.
  • Sign the enrollment form.
  • Return the enrollment form by the due date.
  • Pay the enrollment fee by the due date, if there is a fee to be paid.

The family also can pick a health plan by calling the CHIP/Children’s Medicaid call center at 1-877-543-7669 (1-877-543-KIDS-NOW). That call center is open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Central Time Monday to Friday except federal holidays. CHIP coverage cannot begin unless the family completes the enrollment phase.  

Families can pay the CHIP enrollment fee by credit card online or by sending a check to:

CHIP
PO Box 660287
Dallas, TX 75266-9792

Pay CHIP enrollment fee by credit card

If CHIP receives and processes the enrollment forms/fees… Then coverage begins…
Before cut-off 1st day of the next month
After cut-off 1st day of the next process month

Families receive an enrollment confirmation notice when the enrollment process is complete. The notice states the enrollment start date for the children who are eligible, the health plan that was selected and the plan’s phone number, and what the family’s co-payments will be. A medical payment form is included with the notice for families to track their medical expenses.

Renewal Application Enrollment

Renewal enrollment is complete when the family:

  • Pays the enrollment fee by the due date, if there is a fee to be paid.
  • Signs the enrollment form, if the family picks a new health plan. The family also can pick a new health plan by calling the CHIP/Children’s Medicaid call center at 1-877-543-7669 (1-877-KIDS-NOW).  
If CHIP receives and processes the enrollment fee… Then coverage begins…
Before cut-off in the 12th month of coverage 1st day of the following month
After cut-off in the 12th month of coverage 1st day of the next process month