Arkansas Comprehensive Health Insurance Pool
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ARKANSAS COMPREHENSIVE
HEALTH INSURANCE POOL
P.O. Box 419
Little Rock, AR 72203
Phone: 1-800-285-6477
 Arkansas Comprehensive Health Insurance Pool
    

About CHIP

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The Arkansas General Assembly created the Arkansas Comprehensive Health Insurance Pool (CHIP) in 1995 to provide insurance coverage for Arkansas residents with high-risk conditions who could not obtain coverage through the individual health insurance market. CHIP began selling coverage on July 28, 1996.

In 1997, the Arkansas General Assembly modified the law to make CHIP a "qualified high risk pool" under regulations implementing the Federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act ("HIPAA"), offering coverage for Arkansas residents who exhaust their coverage options in the group market. In the spring of 2003, the General Assembly authorized CHIP to offer coverage to a third category of Arkansans-persons and their qualifying family members eligible for the Health Coverage Tax Credit pursuant to the federal Trade Adjustment Assistance Act of 2002.

CHIP is governed by a seven-member Board of Directors appointed by the Arkansas Commissioner of Insurance. By statute, the Board is composed of the following members:

  • Two current or former employees of insurers licensed to do business in Arkansas;
  • Two current or former employees of an HMO licensed to do business in Arkansas;
  • One who is from a health-related profession;
  • One who is a member of the general public not associated with the medical profession, a hospital or an insurer;
  • One who represents a group considered to be uninsurable.

CHIP is an individual, comprehensive major medical policy. Enrollees can chose calendar-year deductibles of $1,000, $1,250 (HSA qualified), $5,000 or $10,000. It is important to note that high risk pools are not created expressly to serve the indigent or poor who cannot afford health insurance. High risk pools are designed to serve people who would not otherwise have the right to purchase health insurance protection. The indigent can access coverage through state medical assistance, Medicaid or similar programs.

Eligibility

There are three categories in which one can be eligible for CHIP:

  1. Federally Eligible Individual
    To be a federally eligible individual, one must
    1. be a resident of Arkansas
    2. have had 18 months of coverage without a break of 63 days
    3. previous coverage through Group plan, Government plan, or Church plan
    4. not currently covered by or eligible for other coverage
    5. not have had previous coverage terminated because of nonpayment or fraud
    6. have elected and exhausted COBRA coverage

    For a complete list of Federally Eligible Individual Benefits, click here.
  2. Resident Eligible Person
    To be a resident eligible person, one must
    1. have been an Arkansas resident for at least 90 days and
    2. present evidence of
      1. notice of rejection or refusal by insurer to issue substantially similar coverage
      2. refusal by insurer to issue individual coverage except at a rate of at least 50% greater than CHIP's comparable premium
      or
    3. have been an Arkansas resident for at least 30 days and present evidence of previous coverage under a Qualified High Risk Pool of another state that ended no more than 63 days prior to completion of Arkansas CHIP application and was not terminated for fraud

      and
    4. not be enrolled in or eligible for coverage through Medicaid or ARKids
    5. not be enrolled in other coverage (except while satisfying Arkansas CHIP's pre-existing condition waiting period)
    6. not have previously terminated CHIP coverage in the last 12 months
    7. not have previously received CHIP benefits equaling $1,000,000 or more
    8. not be a resident of a public institution
    9. not have premium paid on your behalf under any governmental sponsored program

    For a complete list of Eligibility Requirements for a Resident Eligible Person, click here.
  3. Health Coverage Tax Credit ("HCTC")-
    an individual qualified under HCTC may be eligible for CHIP coverage without being subject to pre-existing condition exclusions
    To be a HCTC qualified person, one must:
    1. 3 months previous coverage without a break of 63 days or more
    2. be legally domiciled in Arkansas
    3. present Arkansas CHIP with a copy of a letter from the HCTC Program
    4. not be incarcerated
    5. not be eligible for coverage or enrolled in Medicare, Part A or B
    6. not be enrolled in
      1. Medicaid or ARKids
      2. a federal employee health plan
      3. a U.S. military health plan
      4. a health plan provided through the person's or spouses employer

    Family members may also be eligible for CHIP benefits through HCTC

    For a complete list of eligibility requirements for HCTC, please click here.

Rates

Arkansas CHIP's rates are based on age, gender, tobacco use and deductible with access to the Administrator (BlueAdvantage) providers.

For a list of the current rates, click here.

To access BlueAdvantage providers, click here.

Privacy

Arkansas CHIP does not disclose your personal information and complies with Gramm-Leach Bliley and HIPAA. For more information regarding privacy, click here.