Some Children's Advocates Fear Health Reform Could Undermine CHIP

Aug 27th, 2009

As Democratic leaders pursue efforts to expand health care insurance to millions more Americans, Kaiser Health News reports that some advocates fear that youngsters now covered by the Children's Health Insurance Program could end up with reduced benefits.

About 7 million children nationwide are insured under CHIP, which provides coverage to children whose family incomes are too high to qualify for Medicaid, the state-federal program for the poor, but too low to afford private insurance. The benefits under CHIP include coverage for hospital and physician care as well as laboratory services and immunizations. Reauthorization legislation signed by President Barack Obama in February is expected to expand the program to an additional 6.5 million children through 2013.

The future of the children’s health program is one of many thorny issues facing lawmakers as they consider major changes to the nation’s $2.5 trillion health care system. Some children’s advocates are concerned that legislation under consideration does not guarantee that benefits under CHIP will remain the same.

In a letter sent to Capitol Hill this month, more than 200 organizations urged tough safeguards to prevent any erosion in CHIP coverage. "Before moving children out of these successful programs, Congress should ensure that children will receive comparable or better benefits, cost-sharing protections and access to care under any new program," they wrote.

Read the full story here.

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