Is the Children's Special Health Care in Illinois? Or Anyone Have Aetna?

[BrendaK]

So after a long long summer of job hunting it is looking about 95% sure that we will be moving to the Chicago area within a month or so.

Here in Michigan we have Children's Special Health Care coverage that is run by the state and picks up the cost of all diabetes supplies, even the copays you have on employer sponsored insurance.

Is there any program like this in Illinois?

We're going through a budget of what it would cost to live there and diabetes costs could make a difference. We've never had to pay a dime for anything before.

Though I think A+ Plus Medical Supply would come in handy. The company DH is going to work for has Aetna HMO and PPO, so I know A+ doesn't work with HMO's. They are going to email him the costs for the premiums...

But, any info in CSHCS would be appreciated.

[sammysmom]

Try this.....

http://www.insurekidsnow.gov/

[LantusFiend]

Hey, welcome to Chicago.
Illinois offers care to uninsured kids. http://www.allkidscovered.com
It did not offer to cover any of the costs in my diabetes care. My parents paid a lot for my diabetes care.
I don't think you'll be getting any help from the state.

[BrendaK]

Thanks for the links -- our family will have health coverage through my husband's job though. The coverage we have in Michigan is additional to insurance through work-- it is non income based, and is specifically for children with chronic conditions like diabetes and asthma. I know a few other states have this, but I can't find anything in Illinois...

I'm waiting for the company to email the specifics about benefits -- costs can REALLY vary from plan to plan.

[diabeteslaw-com]

I also moved from Michigan to Chicago about 5-6 years ago. You will love it here. Let me know if there is anything I can help with during the move or when you get settled in. I am Type 1 and my son is also Type 1 and 9 years old.

[Amy C.]

It sounds like you ought to consider living in Michigan and working in Chicago. I had no idea that Michigan had such great coverage for diabetes.

[BrendaK]

Thanks, everyone. We did consider living in Michigan and dh commuting, but the office he has to commute to is 3 1/2 hours away from our house now (it's in Wheeling, IL), so we'd rather just move.

But Illinois does have a good kids program (allkids) -- not for diabetes, but generally. Insurance won't start with the new job for 90 days, and IL has a program that if your kids don't have group insurance, you get the state program, which covers everything, regardless of your income. So the kids will get that for the first 90 days. I called them yesterday and Allkids covered all diabetes care at 100%. After that, we'll be under DH's insurance -- and we don't know what the copays and stuff like that will be yet. But the company has an incredible comprehensive benefits program, so I'm assuming that it has good insurance. And that maybe we can use A+ to avoid a lot of copays.

diabeteslaw-com -- I would love some help with getting new endos (for both myself and Carson) -- it looks like we have a lot in common. When we get the final word on the job offer (probably this week) I will PM you and we can talk. Thanks for the offer. Where do you live in Chicago? The job is in Wheeling, so we're looking at Lake Zurich maybe Mundelein or Buffalo Grove, or somewhere that's within a 30 minute drive. We used to live in Vernon Hills/Deerfield area, so we know the area some. But that was 10 years ago.

[zimbie45]

Brenda
congrat's to your family with the new job.. hopefully it all works out well.. I cant help on the info on the state.. We have aetna hmo though.. our durable medical is 90/10, but they cover diabetes at 100%.. So we do n ot pay anything for pump supplies... They do not cover CGM's right now. goodluck

[BrendaK]

Thanks Chandra. I appreciate the info on Aetna. That's great they pay diabetes supplies at 100%. DH is in the final negotiating stages w/this job -- I wish things would be official already!!! They want him to start at the end of September, and I'm getting anxious to start making plans. Especially for school. If we move the 2nd week of school, I probably won't send Carson at all until we move -- I'll just homeschool him for a couple of weeks. But the great thing is that the school system we would be moving to actually has a school nurse!!! (I think that's a good thing :))

[yeswe'rebothD]

Ack! Brenda-- don't go moving on me! LOL, I haven't even gotten to meet you in person yet!!!! BTW, you know Draznin will give you referrals if you ask him-- he mailed us a list for if/when we move to Ohio.

Please dear, seriously, call me soon so we can at least meet before you move! :)