General Eligibility

• To get coverage under Healthwave 21, a child must be a legal resident of the state of Kansas. The state requires applicants to verify their status as a citizen or qualifying alien status. The child must be under the age of 19 and must not have coverage by any comprehensive and reasonably accessible health insurance.
  
  

Free Coverage

• Generally, families with incomes below 150 percent of the federal poverty level can qualify for free coverage under HealthWave 21. For families with incomes above that level, the state requires the family to contribute a monthly premium of between $21 and $75.
  
  

Income Guidelines

• Kansas provides the most generous benefits for pregnant women and children in their first year. For a three-person household, Kansas allows pregnant women and children in their first year to qualify for Medicaid services provided their monthly household income is less than $2,289. The income threshold declines to $2,030 for a household of three for children ages one through five. For children ages 6 through 18, the income threshold for Medicaid is capped at $1,526. However, the child can still qualify for the subsidized HealthWave 21 program if the household income is under 241 percent of the federal poverty level, or $3,678 for a household of three. All numbers are current as of January 2011 but subject to change.
  
  

Application Process

• You can apply for the HealthWave program on behalf of your child by calling the HealthWave Clearinghouse at 800-792-4884. You can also pick up an application from any Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services office.