Pediatric Issues

Support Access to the Children's Health Insurance Program Coverage

The Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) provides vital low-cost health coverage to low-income children, and in some states, pregnant women, who do not qualify for Medicaid. The ACS supports efforts to ensure sustainable funding for CHIP and provide continuous eligibility for CHIP beneficiaries. Under existing law, Congress must regularly reauthorize CHIP funding, which is currently set to expire in 2029. This creates an ongoing cycle of uncertainty for beneficiaries, health care providers, and states. The ACS supports eliminating this financial uncertainty by passing permanent funding for CHIP.

In addition to funding uncertainty, the cycle of enrollment and disenrollment, called “eligibility churn,” means that beneficiaries may lose their CHIP coverage despite being eligible. This is caused by inefficient paperwork and other reporting requirements or temporary income fluctuations. The ACS supports a continuous eligibility policy that will require states to provide 12 months of continuous enrollment for children in Medicaid and CHIP.