States Brace For Loss Of Millions Of Dollars If Congress Fails To Act On Children’s Health Insurance Program
Wisconsin could lose as much as $115 million a year that provides health coverage to about 118,000 children in the state. Meanwhile, in Texas, congressional inaction would result in the termination of coverage for nearly a half a million kids.
The state stands to lose up to $115 million a year if Congress doesn't renew a program that helps to cover nearly 118,000 children here. The Children's Health Insurance Program, or CHIP, expired on Sept. 30 because of Congress not acting to reauthorize it, and the money in the program is beginning to run out. (Stein, 11/28)
Gov. Greg Abbott鈥檚 administration is trying to avoid mailing health insurance cancellation notices to nearly half a million children three days before Christmas.聽Unless it can get $90 million more in federal funding, though, Texas will end its Children鈥檚 Health Insurance Program on Jan. 31. It聽would send notices about the program鈥檚 termination to affected families on Dec. 22. More than聽400,000 children聽of the working poor currently are covered under CHIP, as the state-federal program is known. (Wang, 11/28)
