Local lawmaker lauds Children's Health Insurance Program

WEST CHESTER — This month marks 30 years of the Children's Health Insurance Program in Pennsylvania, a landmark program that has helped generations of children obtain free or reduced-cost health insurance.

Signed into law in December 1992, the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) provides insurance coverage to children whose families earn too much to qualify for Medical Assistance but cannot afford to purchase private insurance.

"Every child deserves access to quality health care so they can have the strong, healthy start they need to learn, grow, and reach their full potential," said state Senator Carolyn Comitta, who serves on the Senate Health and Human Services Committee. Three decades ago, Pennsylvania launched a ground-breaking program to cover all kids. Today, CHIP remains instrumental in keeping our young people healthy while giving parents and families the peace of mind that their children can see a doctor."

Currently, the CHIP program covers nearly 132,000 Pennsylvania children, including about 4,900 in Chester County, for routine doctor's visits, emergency care, prescriptions, dental services, eye care, and other vital health services.

To be eligible children must be under 19, be a U.S. citizen, a U.S. national or qualified alien, a resident of Pennsylvania, and be uninsured and not eligible for Medical Assistance.

While most families receive CHIP coverage for free, households with incomes above a certain limit receive coverage at a reduced cost.

Pennsylvania's CHIP program became the model standard for the federal CHIP program which was signed into law in August 1997.

To learn more about the CHIP program and to apply for coverage, call 1-800-986-KIDS (5437).