States’ Anxiety Grows Regarding Dwindling Funds For Children’s Health Insurance Program
The program expired in September and, despite bipartisan support, Congress still has not reauthorized it. Several states are expected to shortly max out their remaining funds, causing worry for officials and the families that depend on CHIP.
The Associated Press:
Health Care Fallout: Fate Of 8M Low-Income Children In Limbo
TC Bell knows what life is like without health insurance after growing up with a mother who cobbled together care from a public health clinic, emergency room visits and off-the-books visits to a doctor they knew. That memory makes Bell, of Denver, grateful for the coverage his two daughters have now under the Children's Health Insurance Program — and concerned about its uncertain future in Congress. "There's an incredible security that I have with CHIP," said Bell, 30, who has gone back to community college to reboot his life after working a series of low-paying jobs. (Karnowski, 11/30)
WBUR:
States Sound Warning That Kids' Health Insurance Is At Risk
This week, Colorado became the first state to notify families that children who receive health insurance through the Children's Health Insurance Program are in danger of losing their coverage. Nearly 9 million children are insured through CHIP, which covers mostly working-class families. (Simmons-Duffin and Lopez, 11/30)
Texas Tribune:
Hey, Texplainer: How Much Money Does Texas Spend Per Child Through CHIP?
The state's budget for fiscal years 2018 and 2019 allocates about $200 per child per month to the roughly 400,000 CHIP-eligible Texans. Without federal funding, Texas has enough money for CHIP to last until February 2018, according to estimates by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, the state's health agency. (Samuels, 12/1)
