3 of 21: Let ARHIPP Pay Your Family Health Insurance Premium

First of all let me say ahead of time...I AM VERY SORRY. I have completely dropped the ball on supplying this information to you, with that said lets get to the good stuff.

What is ARHIPP?

The Arkansas Health Insurance Premium Payment (HIPP) program is sponsored by Arkansas Department of Human Services, Division of Medical Services. HIPP is designed to save money for Medicaid clients with high healthcare costs by reimbursing all or a portion of the cost of their health insurance provided by an employer or COBRA and by eliminating some of their out-of-pocket medical expenses. In some cases, clients may qualify to receive reimbursement for the premium cost of a family health insurance policy.

HIPP membership is completely free for those who qualify and does not affect eligibility for Medicaid.

Not currently insured through your job? When you qualify for HIPP, federal law makes it possible for you to enroll in employer-sponsored health insurance at any time of the year.

Do I Qualify?

The Arkansas HIPP program is specifically for qualifying Medicaid clients and their families who have access to group health insurance through a job or COBRA.

Other requirements:

Your health insurance must cover at least 1 Medicaid beneficiary
You must be able to provide the following Information along with your completed application:

-List of policy tiers and rates provided by your employer
-Policy number & group number
-Employer & employee share of premium cost
-Medicaid client(s) name & Medicaid identification number(s)

What are the benefits?

Arkansas Medicaid clients who enroll in HIPP will receive:

Reimbursement for the monthly cost of all or a portion of group health insurance provided by a job or COBRA.
Access to a wider network of doctors through group insurance coverage.
Healthcare for your entire family, even family members who are not eligible for Medicaid, if found to be cost-effective for the State of Arkansas.

Can I receive benefits from Arkansas HIPP and Medicaid at the same time?

Yes. To qualify for the HIPP program, an applicant must be eligible for Medicaid within the state of Arkansas. You will have access to benefits from both programs for as long as you qualify for each program (separately).

Will Arkansas HIPP pay for my entire family’s health insurance coverage?

In some cases, an applicant will qualify to be reimbursed for family health insurance coverage. This depends on the health insurance policies your employer provides as well as the family plan’s cost-effectiveness.

Insurance Covered by HIPP

To be eligible for the Arkansas HIPP program you must have access to group health insurance that is offered by a job or COBRA.

What is COBRA?

Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) is a federal law that allows former employees to continue health insurance coverage for 18 – 36 months after leaving a job. If an applicant has access to COBRA, the applicant meets the insurance requirement for Arkansas HIPP. If all other qualifications for participation are met, HIPP will send you monthly reimbursements for all or a portion of the cost of the COBRA plan.

What is employer-sponsored insurance (ESI)?

Employer-sponsored insurance (ESI) is health insurance that employers offer to their employees, and is typically offered as part of an employee benefits package. ESI is offered to current employees.

Am I eligible for Arkansas HIPP if I have insurance that is not provided by an employer?
No. Arkansas HIPP is offered to clients who have access to employer-sponsored insurance or coverage through COBRA.

Applying for HIPP Benefits

There are three ways to apply for Arkansas HIPP benefits! You can:

Fill out and submit an online application
Print a HIPP application and mail in or fax your completed application
Call our toll-free line 1-855-692-7447 to start your application over the telephone.

Submit your completed application and documents by:

Toll-free Fax: 1-855-777-1001, or
Mail: HMS
Attn: AR HIPP
1818 N. Taylor St. #360
Little Rock, AR 72207

You must be able to provide the following Information:

Policyholder’s Social Security number
Policy number & group number of the group insurance
Employer & employee share of premium cost
Case identification number(s)

Along with your application, you must provide a copy of:

Insurance card (front and back)
Summary of benefits for your plan or desired plan
Employer health insurance rate sheet
Paystub if it shows premium deduction

We had on of or local moms put this together for additional assistance. Thanks Amy Kinnard.

Lessons learned when applying for ARHIPP:

1. Apply online. https://pierweb.hmsy.com/Arkansas/hipponline/OnlineApplication.aspx

2. Better to email (customerservice@myarhipp.com) all your documents instead of faxing.
(Include pay stubs starting with the month you are applying, signed doctor's statement regarding your child's diagnosis, current plan benefit summary page with company logo, current plan rates, W-2, document showing your plans open enrollment dates, plan coverage dates)

*If you don't have access to a scanner, take pictures of each piece of information to send as jpgs instead of pdfs.

3. If your spouse is the policy holder, have him/her call and add your name to the account. He/she will need your date of birth and social. Failure to do this means that you won't even be able to call in and check on the status of the account. If your spouse doesn't have time to call, include a letter signed by him/her with the needed information to be sent along with the other documents. Only the person who is the primary insurance holder will be able to make changes or request information.

4. As soon as possible, find out what case # has been assigned to your account. Add this number to EVERY piece of information you email!!!

5. After emailing your documents, call a few days later to verify the information was received and linked to your account.

6. Create file folders both on your computer and inside your email account to store the pdf documents you sent and the actual emails sent so you have record and can quickly "re-send" if you are told the email in question was never received on their end.

7. Keep a telephone log. Write down the date, time and customer service reps name, and a brief description of what was discussed each time you call.

8. Understand that the person you are talking to when you call customer service is based in North Carolina and will have to send all your information over to your case worker in Arkansas.