Tennessee is the only state in the union that has closed its federally sponsored insurance plan for children to new enrollees, according to the Center for Children and Families at Georgetown University’s Health Policy Institute.
The state on Nov. 30 stopped taking applications for CoverKids, which is Tennessee’s version of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). The program provides comprehensive health and dental coverage to children in families who do not qualify for Medicaid, but cannot afford private health insurance. That number has increased with Tennessee’s rising unemployment rate, which stands at 10.5
percent.
