Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
'It’s Just Very, Very Stressful Here': State Officials, Parents Dismayed Over CHIP Funding Mire
Politico: State Officials Panicked Over Children’s Health Program
Families are becoming increasingly panicked about children losing health insurance without new funding from Congress, state officials warned Wednesday as a new report showed nearly 2 million kids could be dropped from coverage next month. Roughly 1.9 million children across the country could lose insurance in January if Congress fails to renew Children's Health Insurance Program funding, according to a new report from the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families. Another 1 million could lose coverage by the end of February if the congressional stalemate drags on. (Pradhan, 12/20)
The Washington Post: Kids’ Health Insurance Hangs In Balance, And Parents Wonder What’s Wrong With Congress
The lingering uncertainty in Congress over the fate of the Children’s Health Insurance Program has left Ashlee and Levi Smith torn between optimism and anxiety. As the parents of two young children who have relied on the government-backed health-care plan, the Smiths are unsure whether they should stretch their finances to put their boys, 3 and 3 months, on a private plan — or have faith that a polarized Congress will work it out. “$1,200 for the four of us,” Ashlee Smith, 26, said, estimating the plan’s monthly cost from their two-bedroom townhouse outside Salt Lake City, where she crafts necklaces as part of the family business. “We can’t pay that and save for a mortgage, or save anything at all.” (Samuels, 12/20)
CQ HealthBeat: Delay In Children's Health Funding Worries States And Advocates
Children's advocates and state officials are dismayed that long-term funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program may be delayed until next year, with a short-term fix likely to keep states going until then. Sens. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., and Susan Collins, R-Maine, hinted at a further delay in a press release earlier Tuesday about a separate stall in action on market stabilization legislation. (Raman, 12/20)
PBS NewsHour: Here’s When States Could Run Out Of Money To Fund The Children’s Health Insurance Program
Nine million children nationwide receive health care coverage through the Children’s Health Insurance Program. But many of them could soon be uninsured if Congress doesn’t vote to reauthorize its funding. (Santhanam, 12/200
The New York Times: Unless Congress Acts, Nearly 2 Million Children Could Lose Health Coverage In January
If Congress does not renew federal funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program, also known as CHIP, more than 1.9 million children in 23 states could lose health coverage in January, according to a new analysis by the Georgetown University Health Policy Institute. (Park, 12/20)
Modern Healthcare: Congress' CHIP Patch Accelerates Rate States Will Run Out Of Money
Half of all states will run out of their Children's Health Insurance Program funding in January, up from an original projection of 16. All told, 31 states are in jeopardy of seeing the funding vanish sooner than expected, according to a new analysis from Georgetown University's Center for Children and Families. The short-term budget fix passed by Congress on Dec. 8 reallocated $2.9 billion in federal CHIP funds to 20 states that were to run out of money before the end of the year. CHIP funding expired Sept. 30. The stopgap measure was advanced by Republican Reps. Tom Emmer (Minn.) and Ryan Costello (Pa.), whose states were among those with shortfalls. (Luthi, 12/20)
Meanwhile, community health centers are in a similar situation —
The CT Mirror: Congress’s Inaction Threatening Community Health Center Funding
Despite broad bipartisan support, Congress missed its Sept. 30 deadline to reauthorize money for the Community Health Center Fund, which represents the largest chunk of federal funds going to the centers. ...Community health centers also have received money through the annual federal budget — $1.5 billion last year — and that remains unresolved because Congress hasn’t passed a budget for the current fiscal year. (Rigg, 12/20)
