Children's Health

Top Issues

The state Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) is a federally funded program administered by the states that provides health coverage for American children in working families. States design their own CHIP programs and determine policies and eligibility requirements within broad federal guidelines. In 2009, CHIP provided health coverage for 7.4 million children.

Medicaid and CHIP work together to provide health coverage for children in low- and middle-income families. Still, many children do not have health coverage. Currently, just under 8 million American children are uninsured. (Medicaid and CHIP go by different names in different states. Click here for a list of program names.)

This section of our Web site offers up-to-date information on children’s health coverage, including implementation of CHIPRA and the Affordable Care Act.

The Latest

From Families USA:

2012 Federal Poverty Guidelines are now available.

Simplifying Enrollment and Eligibility with Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) explains the benefits of aligning income calculation rules in Medicaid, CHIP, premium tax credits, and Basic Health programs (where applicable) through MAGI. (October 2011)

From the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation: 

Massachusetts Health Reform: A Five-Year Progress Report examines major components of the law, such as expanding eligibility for Medicaid and CHIP, requiring all adults to obtain health insurance, and creating a health insurance exchange. It looks at how these provisions are working, the challenge of rising health care costs, and how health reform has affected coverage and access to care. (November 2011)

From the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services: 

 Informing CHIP and Medicaid Outreach and Education: Key Findings from a National Survey of Low-Income Parents reports that 93 percent of parents are “somewhat satisfied” or “very satisfied” with their child’s Medicaid or CHIP coverage. It also presents findings pertaining to awareness of these programs, barriers to enrollment, and preferences for enrollment methods. (November 2011)

From the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured and the Urban Institute:

Changes in Health Insurance Coverage in the Great Recession, 2007-2010 notes a severe decline in job-based coverage during this time period. Public coverage through Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) has offset some loss of coverage, but the overall uninsurance rate has risen. (December 2011)

[Return to top]