National Catholic Register

By: Brian Fraga

The Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), a popular government benefit supported by Democrats and Republicans alike, is seen by many analysts as a cost-effective way to provide health coverage for children whose parents cannot afford private insurance. But CHIP’s federal funding is in limbo because the program is getting tied in with larger political debates in Congress pertaining to immigration policy.

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“This could be a quick, easy victory for Congress, where they could come together in a bipartisan way and do something that’s great for kids. It’s not really that heavy a lift, but they just haven’t been able to get it done,” said Joan Alker, executive director of Georgetown University’s Center for Children and Families. Alker told the Register that the lack of a congressional agreement has been “frustrating,” adding that families who rely on CHIP for their children’s health care have been worrying for months that the money will soon run out for their insurance coverage.

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