Families can beat burdensome insurance costs and medical expenses with Hawki.
The Duncan family was in a tight bind. The father, Andre, was the sole provider for the family of three and was offered health insurance through his employer. However, the mom, Alaina, expressed that the cost of insurance and out-of-pocket expenses was causing a financial hardship on their family.
After assessing the family situation and income levels, Gena Fernandez, EveryStep’s Hawki Coordinator, believed the child, Mya, would qualify for Hawki insurance coverage. Sure enough, after Gena discussed various options with the family and walked them through the decision-making process, Mya was successfully granted full Hawki coverage, easing some of the family’s money troubles.
“I believe the Hawki program is a great resource for those families who are underinsured or paying too much for private insurance,” Gena says. “We try to make it an easy process by offering application assistance, answering questions, and advocating for our families when needed.”
Unlike other programs with more restrictive income guidelines, a family of four making up to $80,030 might be eligible for Hawki coverage in 2021. The monthly premium costs are based on income, but no family pays more than $40, regardless of how many children they have. In fact, this resource is open to many families who are unaware of their eligibility – making Hawki a highly underutilized tool in our state.
EveryStep’s Maternal Child Health (MCH) Outreach staff are available year-round to help uninsured and underinsured children and pregnant women sign up for health insurance and find a doctor and dentist. Staff members who serve families in Polk and Dallas counties speak English and Spanish; other languages are served by interpreters from EveryStep’s Interpretation program.
EveryStep staff can help with the following items:
- Answer questions about Hawki and Medicaid.
- Assist with completing forms and applications.
- Provide same-day enrollment and determine eligibility.
- Help families through the next steps, like connecting with appropriate medical providers.
- So much more!
“EveryStep offers care, support, and empowerment during vulnerable and difficult moments,” Gena says. “I’m proud of the Hawki benefits offered to children and the free or affordable premiums. The people I work with genuinely care for and advocate for families and the outreach efforts we are involved in.”
Those who are interested in learning more about Hawki can call (515) 558-6243 or fill out a simple form at www.everystep.org/hawki. Friendly and knowledgeable EveryStep staff members like Gena are ready to help!
