Photo by Bob Foster, KATU News

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – Health insurance is now available for all Oregon children, said Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski Friday.

The governor reports the state's Healthy Kids plan has been completely phased in after the Legislature approved it in 2009.

Kulongoski called it "a proud day in Oregon history." He also urged parents to find out more about the plan and enroll their children.

To qualify for Healthy Kids, children must be 18 years of age or younger. They must live in Oregon and be a legal resident. They must not have had health insurance for two months (with exceptions for special circumstances).

For free or low-cost coverage, household income can’t be more than 300 percent of the federal poverty level, which is about $66,000 for a family of four. For households with income greater than 300 percent of federal poverty level, an "affordable option" was rolled out Jan. 1.

In 2007, the organizers' hopes were to eventually insure about 100,000 children who did not have coverage. So, despite a failure of the 2007 measure to tax cigarettes for funds, the funds to support this program have apparently been found.

Per the most recent figures, there were 897,000 children in Oregon in 2008, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. Of those, 353,000 were reported to be below 200 percent of the state poverty level.

Related link:

• Oregon's Healthy Kids information online