Delays in Congress threaten health coverage for thousands of Washington children
While a few states are letting families know they may have to find new health insurance for their children,
The federal
Two months into that new year, CHIP has not been renewed, and some states are running out of money to provide coverage.
The state hasn't communicated that to affected families, though, because the federal government has kept the money flowing on a month-by-month basis.
Also, the program enjoys bipartisan support, and Democratic Gov.
If the program is eliminated, she said, the state expects to give affected families 60 days' notice to find new insurance.
In
In fiscal 2016,
Because nothing about health care is simple, here's some background:
The CHIP funds are annual grants given to states to help children from low-income families who wouldn't otherwise qualify for Medicaid access medical care. Combined with state funds, the CHIP money allows states to expand their Medicaid programs or create stand-alone programs that cover children up to age 19.
Some states didn't spend all their grant money before the program expired in September, so the federal government has been redistributing those funds to states that need it, Blondin said.
In
If the CHIP funds dry up, about 25,500 of those children in families with incomes between
In
Without CHIP funds, the state also would have to kick in
"It's shameful
Despite the chaos surrounding tax-reform efforts and the wrangling over budget negotiations to keep the government open, there is reason for optimism that CHIP will not fall through the cracks.
However,
Sen.
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