Frequently Asked Questions - Children’s Health Coverage
Studies have shown that children who have health insurance get sick less often, and learn better and faster in school than children without health insurance. It is also easier to get in to see a doctor and is less expensive for a parent when a child has health insurance.
| Emergency Medical Situation | Costs Without Insurance | With Insurance |
| Your child seriously injures her arm and you take her to the emergency room (ER). |
Going to the ER =$1,490 X-rays at the ER = $390 ER doctor’s fees =$375 |
You could pay $0 for all ER services. |
No. They are not considered welfare programs. They are insurance programs for working families that cannot afford the high cost of health insurance that is offered through a job, or private insurance.
Yes. Health insurance is available for immigrant children without documentation. Their families just need to meet the income and home address requirements. Ask a Certified Application AssistorCall 650-616-2002 with the Health Coverage Unit.
No. Having public health insurance will not cause potential problems with immigration because it is not a cash benefit. It will not affect your plans to 1) apply for legal permanent residency or U.S. citizenship or 2) to re-enter the U.S. if you travel to another country. Problems with immigration can happen only if your family receives government cash benefits and does not have other income or support. This is called being a “public charge”. Learn more by reading the PDF document below.
Depending on the program a Certified Application AssistorCall 650-616-2002 recommends for your application, these are examples of documents you will be asked to bring:
- Child’s birth certificate (country where child was born)
- Child’s Legal Permanent Residency card (green card)
- Child’s social security card
- Parents’ proof of income (last pay stub, last year’s taxes, employer letter, etc.)
- Parents’ proof of address (recent utility bill, CA ID, etc.)
If you do not have a required type of document, a Certified Application AssistorCall 650-616-2002 with the Health Coverage Unit can help you complete certain forms that can be used in place of certain documents.
No. A Certified Application AssistorCall 650-616-2002 will screen your child’s eligibility to determine which insurance program you can apply for. Your child can be eligible for one program only. For example, if your daughter is eligible for full scope Medi-Cal without share-of-cost, she is not eligible for Healthy Families and Healthy Kids. If she is eligible for Healthy Kids, she is not eligible for Medi-Cal and Healthy Families.
You will be able to choose your child’s doctor from a network of doctors. When your child is enrolled in either Medi-Cal, Healthy Families, and Healthy Kids, you will receive a packet of information that includes the list of doctors in San Mateo County that you can choose from.
Every county in California offers Medi-Cal and Healthy Families insurance. These are statewide programs funded by the state and federal government. But Healthy Kids is available only in some counties because it is not a statewide program. It is funded by local government and community organizations. Download the PDF below for a list of the counties that have the Healthy Kids insurance program and more information. Contact your county’s health department or a county clinic to get more information.