Missouri Governor Signs Bill Extending CHIP Program for Five Years

Missouri Gov. Bob Holden (D) on June 5 signed into law a bill (HB 1926) that extends for five years the state's CHIP program, which was set to expire July 1, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. The program, called MC+ for Kids, covers more than 74,000 Missouri children in families with annual incomes up to three times the federal poverty level, or $54,300 for a family of four. Participating families pay monthly premiums from $55 to $218, depending on income and number of enrolled family members. For the fiscal year that begins July 1, the program is estimated to cost about $12.2 million, of which the federal government pays for "at least" 70%, the Post-Dispatch reports (Vittachi, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 6/6). The law includes a provision to expand eligibility to children up to age 19 who are financially independent but have had no access to employer-sponsored health coverage for at least six months (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 5/15). Some lawmakers opposed extending MC+ for Kids for an additional five years, saying that it "encouraged free rides for some middle-class families" (St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 6/6).