Wyoming congressional delegation confident CHIP coverage won’t lapse here

Dec. 16--CHEYENNE -- Wyoming is in danger of losing federal funding for a program that provides insurance for thousands of children, but the state's congressional delegation is making assurances that won't happen.

The U.S. Congress has yet to pass a law needed to continue federal funding for the Children's Health Insurance Program, or CHIP, which expired Sept. 30. Nationally, CHIP covers nearly 9 million children in working families who earn too much to qualify for Medicaid but cannot afford private coverage.

Federal CHIP funding covers Kid Care CHIP, Wyoming's program that provides coverage to 3,300 children statewide, with just more than 600 in Laramie County.

By the end of January, the Kaiser Family Foundation projects federal funds for CHIP programs will be exhausted in 16 states, including Utah, Colorado and Idaho. Another 21 states and Washington, D.C., will likely see the funding drained between February and March. If Congress fails to act, funding could be exhausted for Wyoming and 10 other states by April.

"It's hard to give an exact date," said Kim Deti, Wyoming Department of Health spokeswoman. "It also depends on expenses as we go along. What we're spending affects how long we might have that, (but) we're expecting (we'll have CHIP federal funding) into or through April."

CHIP is a federal-state program created during the administration of President Bill Clinton to provide coverage for children at no cost to families. Since then, it has enjoyed largely bipartisan support. Wyoming's CHIP program is structured so federal dollars cover 88 percent of the cost.

Congress has permitted the Department of Health and Human Services to internally shift funds to help cover states whose CHIP programs are running out of money while leaders continue negotiating a long-term reauthorization.

However, some states are preparing recipients for potential coverage losses. Colorado, for example, recently sent a letter to CHIP parents informing them the program might end Jan. 31.

A total of 14 states reported plans to terminate or phase out coverage for children with dependence on federal CHIP dollars, according to Kaiser.

While Wyoming has more time to figure out what to do than many other states, Deti said there's no plan for moving forward yet.

"If Congress doesn't pass that reauthorization, we would have to end the program," she said. "I think there's some discussion, but I don't know if there's a definitive plan."

It would be "a very bad thing" for Wyoming if federal funding for its CHIP program runs out, said Wyoming Sen. Charles Scott, R-Casper, chairman of the Wyoming Legislature's Labor, Health and Social Services Committee.

Wyoming is facing a more than $700 million shortfall in its budget for the 2019-20 biennium. With that type of deficit, Scott said there's not much the state can do to insure CHIP recipients if federal funding ends.

"We aren't in a position to do anything about it ourselves if the feds renege," he said. "That's one of the risks of taking federal programs. You can't depend on Washington. They can't get their act together and get stuff done. It's a real problem, and the Congress is just not functioning effectively."

The Wyoming Department of Health made a two-year request for that biennium of just less than $30 million for its Kid Care CHIP program. Of that, roughly $26 million would be federal funds, with the rest coming from the general fund. Deti said that figure assumes Congress approves the program's continuation without major changes.

Gov. Matt Mead said Friday he supports the program and hopes to see it reauthorized.

The fate of the program's funding is up to Congress.

On Friday, all three of Wyoming's delegates said they support the program's extension and expect no children in the state will be affected by the current delay in reauthorization.

U.S. Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., said Friday that Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, recently announced the committee is committed to finding a path forward on the program by the end of the year.

"Sen. Barrasso supports ... CHIP and has every expectation that Congress will once again extend the program," said Laura Mengelkamp, press secretary for Barrasso, in an email. "Wyoming has enough funding under the CHIP program to ensure that patient care is not disrupted for several months."

The program is vital for many children in Wyoming, said U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo. She expects she and her colleagues can come up with a solution.

"I expect Congress will extend the program as part of its year-end funding package before states would face funding losses," Cheney said in an email. "I support this important program and look forward to working on the reauthorization bill with my colleagues."

Finally, Wyoming's most senior member of Congress, U.S. Sen. Mike Enzi, a Republican and the Senate Budget Committee chairman, said he has supported the legislation in the past and looks to reauthorize the program, said Max D'Onofrio, press secretary for Enzi.

"(Enzi) has been in contact with the state of Wyoming to ensure that the state will not face a funding shortfall in the near future, and children will not lose coverage in the state," D'Onofrio said in an email. "He has also been engaged with those members leading on this issue in the Senate toward extending this program."

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