If Congress doesn’t save kids’ health insurance, it will cost Idaho millions
"Eventually, she'll have to have surgery for that," Macias said. "It will probably be between 10 and 12 years old."
Macias has relied on CHIP -- the
The 22,117
"Absent a change in that law, these kids are still going to be covered," said
So, the department is working on a possible contingency plan if
That solution will cost
The estimated cost, just to finish out this fiscal year? About
The
Gov.
"It is on my radar screen and the co-chair's radar screen," said Sen.
'It's expensive'
Many of the children on CHIP are from working families who earn too little to afford health insurance but too much to qualify for Medicaid. Macias works as an immigration legal assistant for a nonprofit in
Mia goes to her primary doctor for annual checkups, to the eye doctor every three to six months and to a specialist twice a year. During a recent week, Mia was sick and had a total of three health care visits. Each one would have required a minimum
"A lot of people sometimes think ... 'anybody can pay for doctor visits,' but once you look at it and see it, it's expensive," Macias said.
Most members of
The New York Times and Axios have reported
"I can't tell you exactly when, but we'll get it done," Sen.
-- Senator JohnCornyn (@JohnCornyn)
Health and Welfare expects federal funds to fuel its CHIP program at least through January. But medical care is expensive, and the funds aren't endless.
This year, the department for the first time asked the
"This is not 'stopgap' funding or anything special," said Smith, the department's spokesman. "It is previously appropriated but unspent money that, under a provision in existing law, CMS can redistribute to states to keep their CHIP coverage funded because of the delay by
For now, the department is working with CMS on its contingency plan. But it hopes
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