A month after its launch, Pennsylvania's new high-risk insurance program has received 2,600 applications, meaning there still are plenty of slots available before the state Insurance Department hits its initial cap of 3,500 enrollees.

So far, 1,737 applicants have been judged eligible for PA Fair Care, the federally subsidized insurance program meant to provide health coverage for high-risk customers. To be eligible, an applicant must be without insurance for at least six months and must be unable to obtain coverage because of medical conditions.

Of the remaining 860 or so applications submitted so far, some have been denied eligibility and some are still under review.

For those Pennsylvanians who met the requirements, premium notices will be mailed this weekend and their first premium payment will be due 30 days after that. Coverage will kick in after the first premium, about $283 monthly, is received.

To encourage new applications, the Insurance Department has begun advertising the PA Fair Care program on the radio and Internet in Pennsylvania's mid-state areas -- but not Pittsburgh or Philadelphia.

"The interest in the Philadelphia and Pittsburgh areas was high enough," said Melissa Fox, Insurance Department spokeswoman. "Plus, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia are the most expensive [ad] markets."

Ms. Fox said both the online advertising and radio buys began in the last week. The campaign already has generated a bump in online applications -- "about 2.5 times the number we had been receiving daily before the buys started."

To apply online or to find out more about the plan, visit www.pafaircare.com.

In addition to the monthly premium, subscribers would also pay $25 for an office visit co-pay, $30 to see a specialist and would have a $1,000 annual deductible for emergency room visits, newborn care, surgery, radiology and other hospital treatments. Highmark Inc. is running the program.

Pennsylvania, which began taking applications Aug. 5, is receiving $160 million to run the plan through 2014, the year in which the health care reform law is scheduled to take broader effect.

The law provides for similar high-risk pools in all 50 states, and is one of the first provisions of the federal health care reform law to be implemented.

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