childrens health insurance program Archives

Local health centers left to struggle even as GOP funds CHIP

January 25, 2018January 24, 2018 Logan B.

The Children’s Health Insurance Program finally has its funding but kids may still find health care challenging. At the same time that Congressional Republicans and Democrats are patting themselves on the back for approving funding the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) for the next six years, many local health centers continue floundering. CHIP had been in dire need of having its funding restored after it was allowed to expire on September 30. At the same time that lawmakers are celebrating passing the CHIP funding, which already had bipartisan support, it…

US government shutdown leaves CHIP without funding

January 22, 2018January 20, 2018 G. Turner

Senate failed to pass the House-sponsored continuing resolution (CR) to the president on Friday. The Senate was unable to advance the House-sponsored CR ahead of a US government shutdown last week. It left the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) unfunded, placing many states at risk of losing their medical coverage for kids from low income families. The “Cadillac tax” has also failed to move forward, as the government shutdown began at midnight on Saturday. The six year extension of CHIP funding had bipartisan support. Both Republicans and Democrats were in…

Congressional Budget Office predicts $800 million bill for 5 years of CHIP

January 12, 2018January 15, 2018 Nordstrom

The Children’s Health Insurance Program covers almost 9 million low income kids in the country. The Congressional Budget Office released a prediction from its analysts that the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) will cost $800 million for a 5 year renewal. This total could help lawmakers to overcome one of the main challenges to the program’s renewal. Some states risk running out of funding for their kids’ coverage as soon as the close of this month. Prior analyst estimates suggested the cost of renewing CHIP would be closer to $8.2…

CHIP expiration places health insurance of millions of children at risk

November 20, 2017November 17, 2017 H. Cutner

The program currently covers the kids of almost 9 million low income American families. Kids covered by CHIP, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, could potentially lose their plans if it is not reauthorized in time. The program was designed to offer low income families with the opportunity to cover their kids inexpensively. For many families, this health insurance program is the only means of covering medical care. CHIP provides kids with coverage for pediatric visits from annual checkups to ear infections, and from surgeries to radiation and chemotherapy. For many…

$32 million in funding coming to the Children’s Health Insurance Program

April 21, 2016April 18, 2016 S.Vagus

Federal agency announced more funding for CHIP to ensure children have the coverage they need The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has announced that it will be providing $32 million in funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). The program has been lacking funding in recent years, which has raised concerns that many children may lose the insurance coverage that they are using currently. The program was established nearly 20 years ago as a way to ensure that children of low-income families would be able to receive the…