CHIP
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Congressional Leaders Urge HHS to Issue Strong MOE Guidance
It was a great victory for children and families when Congress included a maintenance of effort (MOE) requirement in health reform so states wouldn’t cutback on Medicaid and CHIP coverage before affordable coverage was available through the state Exchanges. Now, as with so many issues in health care reform, the way it works out for…
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States Find New Electronic Data Match Effective and Efficient in Confirming Citizenship
One of the exciting new options provided by the Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act (CHIPRA) is the ability of states to use an existing electronic data exchange with the Social Security Administration (SSA) to document citizenship. All states have entered into agreements with the SSA to use this new capability starting January 1, 2010.…
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How Much Will This Cost Us? Key Questions to Ask About State Estimates on Health Reform Costs
By Martha Heberlein Throughout the debate on health reform, states have asked, “how much will this cost us?” Now that health reform is the law of the land, several have put out their own estimates. However, as there is no agreed upon independent arbiter to tell us what states will be spending – sadly, CBO…
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Listening to the Mann: For Federal Medicaid Director, 2014 Starts Now
By David Blatt, Director, Oklahoma Policy Institute This week I had the pleasure of attending a gathering of policy analysts and advocates from 15 states on “Transforming Health Care Coverage for Children and Families,” convened by Georgetown University’s Center for Children and Families. The conference, which focused on the opportunities and challenges of providing coverage…
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VA Families Can Breathe Easier as FAMIS Cuts Were Averted
By John McInerney, Health Policy Director, The Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis Families in Virginia can breathe a bit easier these days, as efforts by Governor Bob McDonnell and the House of Delegates to tighten eligibility in the states’ CHIP program have failed. Virginia’s program is called Family Access to Medical Insurance Security (FAMIS), and it…
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It Happened One Night
By Donna Cohen Ross, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities All in one night — February 11 — 10,484 eligible children were enrolled into Louisiana’s Medicaid program. Are you trying to imagine this? If so, you’re probably picturing mile-long lines of children winding through Baton Rouge, parents in tow, clutching packets of forms and documents. …
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Summary of Medicaid, CHIP, and Low-Income Provisions in Health Care Reform
On March 23, 2010, President Obama signed into law the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which is designed (with its companion set of amendments in H.R. 4782) to provide coverage to 32 million people, adopt broad-reaching reforms in insurance industry practices, make major new investments in public health, and reduce the federal deficits. This…
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Maintenance of Effort (MOE) in Health Reform Helps Preserve Current Children’s Health Coverage
It’s appropriate that we are celebrating the passage of health reform while enjoying the first signs of spring. With snow banks receding and the sun warming, we happily anticipate the bounty of health reform as we watch the early sprouts emerge. Ongoing state budget woes, however, remind us that a spring snowstorm can still bring…
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Holding the Line on Medicaid and CHIP: Key Questions and Answers About Health Care Reform’s Maintenance-of-Effort Requirements
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) requires that states maintain their current eligibility standards for Medicaid and the CHIP. These maintenance-of-eligibility (MOE) requirements apply to adults until the major components of health reform go into effect on January 1, 2014, and to children until September 30, 2019. This set of question and answers…
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Hoyas Lost in Providence but Georgetown’s CCF Conference was a Winner
By Ann Bacharach, Pennsylvania Health Law Project I went to Providence last week, just ahead of an historic weekend. No, I’m not talking about Rounds One and Two of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament or the upset of Georgetown by Ohio. No, I was there to attend the second of CCF’s regional meetings: Transforming Health…
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House Moves Health Reform Over Crucial Hurdle
The Center for Children and Families at Georgetown University Released the Following Statement on Health Reform Passed by the U.S. House of Representatives Today: The House of Representatives has taken a historic step today in support of America’s families by passing health reform today. By creating reliable, affordable coverage options that won’t disappear when a parent becomes…
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Unprecedented Cuts in Arizona Will be Felt for Years to Come
By Martha Heberlein Facing a $2.6 billion budget shortfall in fiscal year 2011, Arizona has resorted to $1.1 billion in cuts. In doing so, the state made the unprecedented move of repealing the state’s Children’s Health Insurance program, KidsCare. Estimates are that 47,000 low-income children will lose coverage as a result and another 13,000 children…
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Let’s Take a Break from Biting Our Nails on Health Reform to Think About Teeth
Mom: “Did you brush your teeth?” Child: “Yep.” Mom: “How come your toothbrush isn’t wet?” This is an excerpt from the script of the bedtime drama performed live nightly in the comfort of my own home. Just between you, me and the tooth fairy … after battling on the nutrition, hygiene and homework fronts, I…
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Health Reform Expected to Be Moving Next Week in House; Prospects for Fiscal Relief Remain Good
By Jocelyn Guyer Brace yourselves for a hectic few weeks leading up to the Congressional recess. According to CQ, House leadership is preparing for a possible final vote on health reform as soon as next week. It is still unclear whether or not they have the votes to pass the measure, which would actually be…
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Ohio Accepts Sebelius’ Challenge to Enroll All Eligible Kids
March 10, 2010 was a memorable day for children’s health advocates in Ohio. Ohio became the first state to join HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius’ quest to enroll all children eligible for Medicaid and CHIP. In accepting the challenge Secretary Sebelius issued to states in November at the National Children’s Health Insurance Summit to enroll all eligible children,…
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CHIP Tips: Children’s Oral Health Benefits
Written with the Children’s Dental Health Project, this brief examines a new requirement under the Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 that state CHIP programs cover comprehensive dental benefits. The reauthorization law also allows states with separate CHIP programs to offer a dental-only plan for children who have other health insurance but lack…
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CHIP Allotments: Federal Funding Remains Secure for States
One of the goals of CHIPRA was to ensure that no state would be at risk of exhausting the federal funding needed to cover uninsured children through its CHIP program. Recent data show that the legislation is working as intended, as states have had the federal resources they need to sustain and strengthen their CHIP…
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What If Health Reform Efforts Fail?
As leaders in Washington debate the future of a plan to get our nation’s arms around the colossal health care system, it’s worthwhile to take a look at how things would be different today if some past health reform efforts had succeeded. What if … President Nixon’s plan had passed before he left office? According…
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CHIPRA Strengthening Quality of Children’s Health Care
Charlie Homer President and CEO, National Initiative for Children’s Healthcare Quality In this time of agonizing about broad health care reform, I take solace in celebrating the passage of CHIPRA (the Child Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act) just over a year ago, and focusing on its productive implementation. CHIPRA not only expanded access to health insurance…
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CHIPRA Performance Bonuses for Medicaid
Author: Tricia Brooks National Covering Kids and Families Network Webinar – Presentation Document February 22, 2010