Dr. Dynasaur
Dr. Dynasaur is a publicly funded healthcare program in the U.S. state of Vermont, created in 1989. Vermont had an estimated 140,000 people under age 18 (90,000 under 300% above the Federal Poverty Level (FPL). Dr. Dynasaur covered 56,000 of these uninsured. After adding the coverage of this program to those already covered by private health insurance, Vermont had achieved a virtually universal health insurance for children. As a result, the state was regarded as having the best healthcare program in the United States. Coverage At the time of its creation, Dr. Dynasaur used state funds program to provide healthcare for pregnant women and children ages six and under who did not have health insurance and who did not qualify for the federally funded Medicaid. The program covered pregnant women up to 200% above the Federal Poverty Level and children up to 225% above the Federal Poverty Level. Co-payments were required for some medical services. In 1992, Dr. Dynasaur coverage was expanded to children and teens through age 17. To conform to 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