Without congressional action, a federal health insurance program that covers nearly 9 million children, including 22,000 in Arizona, is set to expire Sept. 30.

And with debate and attention focused on attempts to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) is in peril, advocates say.

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“It seems very unlikely Congress will take action on CHIP,” Joan Alker, executive director of the Georgetown Center on Children and Families, told reporters during a telephone interview Friday morning.

“The decision by Senate leadership to move forward on another repeal of ACA has halted progress on CHIP,” she said. “I have a hard time believing they will meet the deadline.”

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