Every child attending a Tennessee public school will take home a CoverKids informational flyer this year in a statewide enrollment campaign to get health insurance coverage to Tennessee’s uninsured children.  
“Providing children with quality health coverage is one of the best investments we can make in their future,” said Gov. Phil Bredesen. “I encourage every parent to look for the CoverKids information in their child’s back-to-school packet and to take the necessary steps to enroll any child who doesn’t have health insurance.” Working with the Department of Education, CoverKids is coordinating the delivery and distribution of 1.5 million informational flyers to Tennessee’s public school children.  
The flyers provide detailed instructions for parents on how to enroll their children in CoverKids.  The flyer also includes a self-addressed, postage-paid card so parents can request an application in the mail or have a CoverKids representative call them about enrolling.
“We received more than 13,600 CoverKids applications as a result of our back-to-school efforts last year,” said. Dr. Andrea D. Willis, CoverKids director.  “We’re working very hard this year to reach every child who could possibly benefit from the CoverKids program because as we all know, a healthy child is more likely to learn and more likely to stay in school.”
The CoverKids flyers will be delivered to public schools, beginning July 21, for insertion in each child’s back-to-school packet.      
A family of four earning $53,000 a year or less may qualify for CoverKids. Once enrolled, these families pay no monthly premiums for their children’s coverage.  Doctor visits range from $5 to $15, generic medications cost as little as $5 and there are no co-pays for immunizations, routine well-exams, labs or x-rays.  Families above the household income limit can pay $225 a month for each child they want to enroll in CoverKids.  CoverKids insurance does not have deductibles.
BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee administers the CoverKids program.
CoverKids currently has 24,176 members in the program.
CoverKids is part of Cover Tennessee, Bredesen’s multi-pronged effort to extend health insurance to Tennessee’s uninsured.
Cover Tennessee’s other programs are:  CoverTN, affordable, basic health insurance to small businesses, individuals and the self-employed; AccessTN, comprehensive health insurance for Tennesseans with uninsurable or chronic health care conditions; and CoverRx, a pharmacy assistance program providing uninsured Tennesseans access to affordable prescriptions.  
For more information on any of the Cover Tennessee programs, visit www.CoverTN.gov or call 1-866-COVERTN.

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