Updates in the Fight to Extend the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)

The Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), originally created in 1997, provides health insurance to children who do not qualify for Medicaid and do not have access to private health insurance. It has been reauthorized several times over the past 20 years, but at the end of September 2017, the program expired.

In early October 2017, the U.S. House and Senate held hearings on bills to extend the program for another five years. This is good news, but only a first step in the process.

For the time being, kids are still getting coverage as states have money left over from the last federal government payment installment. However, in the coming months, states will begin to run out of reserves, and congressional action is required again for CHIP to continue to provide coverage for kids.

Please contact your senators and representatives to ask them to act quickly to bring these bills to a vote.