Children with Medical Handicaps - We are Here to Help You!

We don’t want you to feel alone if you have a child with medical handicaps. We know that it is a full-time job caring for your child and you may feel that you have no one in your corner. But that’s certainly not the case. 

We offer the Children with Medical Handicaps Program (CMH) through Knox Public Health as part of our lineup of services to support you and your child. Many Knox County families are involved in this program and have benefitted from the services, resources, and financial assistance the program offers. If you aren’t aware of it, here is what it offers your family - and make sure to ask our staff about it at your child’s next wellness exam. 

 

What CMH offers:

• Comprehensive care and services
• Family-centered and community-based focus to assisting with services
• Children with special needs are linked to specialty physicians for their care
• Helps families get payment assistance (or complete coverage) for needed health services
• Acts as a safety net health care program by covering your medical bills just as a private insurance or medical card would—CMH covers remaining costs after these two insurances have paid and may cover services they don’t cover
• A public health nurse from Knox Public Health manages your coverage and needs - plus offers connection to resources and acts as an advocate for your child’s unique healthcare needs.

 

What types of assistance are offered?

• Diagnostic—this short team coverage is used to diagnose or rule out chronic medical conditions or to create a treatment plan for chronic medical conditions.
• Treatment—Long-term coverage offered to manage a chronic medical condition until age 12.
• Cost-Share—Coverage for over-income families who might have limited insurance or high deductibles. Once the cost share is met, CMH can step in to help approve payment for treatment, as well as save families money in deductible costs and co-payments. Primary insurance and Medicaid are always primary, but families can qualify for CMH treatment or cost share. 

 

What are some of the conditions eligible for CMH?

• AIDS
• Cancer
• Cerebral Palsy
• Cleft lip/palate
• Cystic fibrosis
• Diabetes
• Scoliosis
• Hemophilia
• Hearing loss
• Juvenile arthritis
• Metabolic disorders
• Severe vision disorders
• Sickle cell disease
• Spina bifida
• Congenital heart disease
• Chronic lung disease
• Birth defects 
• Epilepsy
• And more!

 

Which children are eligible?

• Ages 0-21
• Permanent residents of Ohio
• Under the care of a CMH-approved doctor and who have or may have a chronic medical condition

 

For more information about this helpful program, visit the program’s webpage here. And for even more information, find it on the Children With Medical Handicaps Program page from the Ohio Department of Health.

 

Public health nurses can start the application process by referring your child to a CMH-approved doctor, who sends the form on to CMH. You can find out all the information by talking with your child’s Health Center practitioner at their next visit. Is your child’s next visit a while away? Reach out to Jessica, the CMH program coordinator, directly at 740-392-2200, Ext. 2237 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..