Pa House Passes CHIP Extension — The House has approved a measure to extend the state’s Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) through 2015, reports State Rep. Jim Cox (R-129).
CHIP provides health insurance to uninsured children and teens not eligible for or enrolled in Medical Assistance. The program, established in 1992, is set to expire at the end of this year, without legislative action.
The federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, together with the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, have extended federal funding for CHIP through 2015.
Free CHIP coverage is available to eligible children in households with incomes no greater than 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL); low-cost CHIP coverage is available for those with incomes greater than 200 percent but no greater than 300 percent of the FPL; and families with incomes greater than 300 percent of the FPL have the opportunity to purchase coverage by paying the full rate negotiated by the state.
Currently, 188,317 children are enrolled in CHIP across the Commonwealth. Federal funds pay for approximately two-thirds of the total cost of the program.
House Bill 108 now heads to the Senate for consideration.
Pa House Passes CHIP Extension
