BATON ROUGE, La. -- The state health department is spearheading a back-to-school campaign to encourage parents to enroll their children in the state's public health insurance programs.

The enrollment drive is designed to let parents know about coverage available to uninsured children through the Louisiana Children's Health Insurance Program, known as LaCHIP, and other Medicaid programs.

LaCHIP representatives will show up at schools, stores, churches and community centers to distribute information.

Families with income at up to twice the federal poverty level -- that's more than $42,000 a year for a family of four -- can get free children's health insurance coverage through LaCHIP. Families with income between twice and three times the federal poverty level can purchase health care coverage for their children at a reduced cost through the LaCHIP Affordable Plan.

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More information is available at www.lachip.org or by calling 1-877-2LaCHIP.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)