Yahoo! News
August 25, 2009
President Barack Obama signed CHIP reauthorization legislation in February that is expected to expand the program to an additional 6.5 million children through 2013
As Democratic leaders pursue their quest to provide millions of Americans with health care insurance, some advocates see an unlikely casualty of reform: youngsters now covered by the Children’s Health Insurance Program whom they fear could end up with reduced benefits. About 7 million children 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.
