As summer ends, parents are being urged to make sure their children head back to school with health insurance.
Over 110,000 Wisconsin children don't have health insurance, even though coverage is available for many of them. Covering Kids and Families coordinator Michael Jacob says up to 60 percent of those uninsured kids may be eligible for programs such as BadgerCare.
Jacob says parents should add checking into coverage to their list of “back to school” supplies. He says many low-income families don't even realize their kids qualify for help.
An easy way to identify a child may qualify for coverage is if they qualify for free or reduced lunch programs. Jacob says the income guidelines for those programs and BadgerCare are the same.
Wisconsin Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin says proper health care is essential for academic success. She says it's hard to expect students to pay attention in class and do well if they can't see or hear properly, or have medical conditions distracting them from learning.
Families wanting to see if a child qualifies for state or federal health coverage can call 1-800-722-2295.