Introduction

In 1997, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) was created with strong bipartisan support (the law was renewed April 2009). CHIP gives states financial support to expand publicly funded coverage to uninsured children who are not eligible for Medicaid. CHIP is a block grant program that provides states with a set amount of funding that must be matched with state dollars.

This primer provides a general overview of the program rules. Links to more detailed information is provided in the Resources section.

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