West Virginia Boosts CHIP Enrollment by 4,000 in Five Months

Saying his administration "mounted an extensive outreach effort" over the past four months to enroll more low-income children, West Virginia Gov. Bob Wise (D) this week handed out the 20,001st enrollment card for the state's CHIP program, the AP/Charleston Gazette reports. The Wise administration has set a goal of 26,000 enrollees by June 30, the end of the state's fiscal year. Wise said that the state would conduct a "door-to-door" sign-up campaign over the summer, and is "exploring" ways to facilitate application through schools. When Wise took office in January, 16,000 children were enrolled in West Virginia's CHIP program, which offers health coverage to children in families earning below 200% of the federal poverty level, or about $34,100 annually for a family of four (AP/Charleston Gazette, 5/17).