hawk-i Program Participation

Recognizing the importance of providing health care coverage to low-income families, Wellmark is a primary insurer in the state’s Healthy and Well Kids in Iowa (hawk-i) program. The hawk-i program extends health care coverage to children whose families are between 133 and 200 percent of the federal poverty level, and who are not eligible for Medicaid.

Participation in the hawk-i program was an obvious choice for Wellmark, a company that has been actively providing health care to uninsured children for more than a decade.

More than ten years ago, Wellmark started The Caring Foundation to address health care coverage needs for uninsured, low-income children. The foundation's Caring Program provided free preventive and primary care to more than 10,000 Iowa children. With the introduction of the hawk-i program in 1999, there was no longer a need for the Caring Program. As a result, children were dis-enrolled from the Caring Program in order to allow them to qualify for coverage under the hawk-i program or the expanded Medicaid program.

Today, uninsured children in most Iowa counties have available either Classic Blue^® indemnity coverage or Blue Access^® open-access managed care coverage from Wellmark through the hawk-i program. The Classic Blue and Blue Access plans provide comprehensive coverage including coverage for prescription drugs, dental care and preventive care. Additionally, members have nationwide access to healthcare through the BlueCard^® program.

The coverage available to eligible hawk-i enrollees is based on the county in which they reside. Each county has one or more health plans serving hawk-i families.

Learn more about Classic Blue and Blue Access coverage.

The prescription drug coverage is a managed generics-only program, so not all drugs are covered. Before purchasing a noncovered drug, hawk-i enrollees can ask to have the drug covered by following the member initiated exception process for noncovered drugs.

For more information about eligibility for the Healthy and Well Kids in Iowa (hawk-i) program, or to find out the health plan(s) available in a specific county, call 1-800-257-8563 or visit the hawk-i program Web site at www.hawk-i.org.

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Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield is an Independent Licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association doing business in Iowa and South Dakota. Blue Cross®, Blue Shield®, and the Cross® and Shield® symbols are registered marks of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, an Association of Independent Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans.