Program Description

The Dr. Dynasaur Logo Image

The Dr. Dynasaur program was created in Vermont, United States in 1989 as a state-funded program for pregnant woman and children through age 6, who did not have health insurance, and who did not qualify for traditional Medicaid. The program covered children up to 225% of the Federal Poverty Level, and pregnant woman up to 200% of Federal Poverty Level. Co-payments were required for some medical services. In 1992, Dr. Dynasaur coverage was expanded to children through age 17. To conform to traditional Medicaid, coverage under other health insurance no longer precluded eligibility and co-payments were eliminated. In October 1998, coverage was further expanded to children in families with incomes up to 300% of the FPL through these 1902(r)(2) provision and section 1115(a) demonstration waiver and through the State Children's Health Insurance Program authorized by Title XXI of the Act. Image File history File links File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... State nickname: The Green Mountain State Official languages None Capital Montpelier Largest city Burlington Governor Jim Douglas (R) Senators Patrick Leahy (D) Jim Jeffords (I) Area  - Total  - % water Ranked 43th 24,923 km² 3. ... 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A pregnant woman Pregnancy is the process by which a mammalian female carries a live offspring from conception until it develops to the point where the offspring is capable of living outside the womb. ... Health insurance is a type of insurance whereby the insurer pays the medical costs of the insured if the insured becomes sick due to covered causes, or due to accidents. ... Medicaid in the United States is a program managed by the states and funded jointly by the states and federal government to provide health insurance for individuals and families with low incomes and resources. ... 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday. ... The State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) is a national program in the United States designed for families who earn too much money to qualify for Medicaid, yet cannot afford to buy private insurance. ...

Program Goals

The primary goal is to assure access for pregnant woman and children to a full range of health care services with a strong emphasis on prenatal and preventive care, and to provide a system of coverage in concert with private health insurance that ensures universal health insurance coverage for all Vermont children. This access to care is essential to successfully achieve a number of key outcome indicators of Healthy Vermonters 2010, a major initiave of the Vermont Agency of Human Services. A secondary goal is to assist working families to maintain their self-sufficiency. This complements the Vermont's welfare reform initiative by offering health coverage to low and moderate-income families who do not receive welfare cash assistance. Prenatal care refers to the regular routine check-ups recommended for women before and during pregnancy. ... Publicly funded medicine is a level of medical service that is paid wholly or in majority part by public funds (taxes or quasi-taxes). ... State nickname: The Green Mountain State Official languages None Capital Montpelier Largest city Burlington Governor Jim Douglas (R) Senators Patrick Leahy (D) Jim Jeffords (I) Area  - Total  - % water Ranked 43th 24,923 km² 3. ... Social welfare can mean: the welfare or well-being of a society. ...

Eligibility

The income guidlines for the Dr. Dynasaur program are higher than for traditional Medicaid, up to 200% of FPL for pregnant woman and up to 300% of FPL for children. As of January 1, 2002, this translates to income for a family of three of $30,144 for coverage for a pregnant woman and $45,216 for coverage for children. There is no asset limit for Dr. Dynasaur eligibility.

Services and Fees

Coverage under Dr. Dynasaur is as comprehensive as Medicaid and includes prenatal care, routine check-ups, immunizations, hospital care (both inpatient and outpatient), prescriptions, x-ray and lab tests, limited dental and vision services, as well as other medical services. Most Dr. Dynasaur beneficiaries receive services through a managed care delivery system. No co-payments apply for any of these services. In medicine immunization is the process by which an individual is exposed to a material that is designed to prime his or her immune system against that material. ... A hospital today is an institution for professional health care provided by physicians and nurses. ... A hospital today is an institution for professional health care provided in part by physicians and nurses. ... A medical prescription (â„ž) is a written order by a qualified health care professional to a pharmacist for a treatment to be provided to their patient. ... In the NATO phonetic alphabet, X-ray represents the letter X. An X-ray picture (radiograph) taken by Röntgen An X-ray is a form of electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength approximately in the range of 5 pm to 10 nanometers (corresponding to frequencies in the range 30 PHz...

A monthly program fee of $20 per family is required for coverage for children under age 18 and pregnant women whose family income exceeds 185% of FPL but is less then or equal to 225%. A $50 per month per family program fee is required for children with income in excess of 225% of FPL and no other insurance coverage. If there is secondary coverage, Dr. Dynasaur is a secondary payer.

Population Served

It is estimated that Vermont has 140,000 under age 18, 90,000 under 300% of FPL. Dr. Dynasaur covers 56,000. Between private health insurance and Dr. Dynasaur, Vermont has achieved a virtual universal health insurance coverage for children.