National Journal

By: Erin Durkin

States facing cleanup in the aftermath of the recent hurricanes could see a surge in need for a health insurance program that provides coverage to low- and middle-income kids. The problem: Funding for the program expires at the end of the month, and Congress still has to make major decisions about its renewal.

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“There’s no question that the hurricanes are going to make them run through their allotments quicker, and surrounding states,” said Joan Alker, executive director of Georgetown University’s Center for Children and Families. Alker said that uncertainty around this funding could not come at a worse time for these states, and failure to renew funding would add to their stress. “That is going to leave Texas and Florida holding the bag. The federal government will be deserting them, with respect to their CHIP funding at their time of greatest need,” she said.

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