Healthcare Finance

By: Beth Jones Sanborn

A new report from Georgetown University Health Policy Institute Center for Children and Families is lending new urgency to the need for Congress to pass lasting CHIP funding before the end of January. The January 2018 update to the Center’s “When Will States Run Out of Federal CHIP Funds” report said that if Congress doesn’t approve long-term CHIP funding in January, nearly 1.7 million children in separate CHIP programs in 21 states with projected shortfalls in March could lose coverage by the end of February. “As February 1 approaches and Congress has still not taken action, some states are likely to send notices to families alerting them that their child’s coverage is in jeopardy and may begin procedures to freeze enrollment.”

…

In March, roughly half the states will be face shortfalls, and without enough funding to cover March expenditures, these states would be unable to cover all children beyond February without accessing redistribution funds.

…

Read more here.