CHIP Enrollment Opens Permanently Next Week

Apr 30, 2008 by Eric Ray

(KCPW News) In the past, funding shortages have meant placing a cap on the amount of children allowed to enroll in the state's health insurance program for children - or CHIP. However, starting Monday that will no longer be an issue.

"The legislature in 2007 passed enough funding to enroll up to 45,000 children. Once we hit that maximimum, CHIP would have had to close," says CHIP spokesperson Kolbi Young. "But with the legislation passed in 2008, we are now able to keep it open for all children that are eligible. There will not be a closure based on the amount of children enrolled."

Young says the program currently covers more than 33,000 kids. In addition to advertising and the CHIP van tour traveling to communities statewide, the Department of Health is looking for new avenues to provide information about CHIP to the public. Young says those efforts are necessary to find other eligible children.

"According to the 2006 Health Status Survey, approximately 45,000 kids are potentially eligible for CHIP, that fall within the income guidelines," says Young. "So we think that there are more children out there that are not covered that we are still trying to find."

Due to House Bill 326, which both House and Senate leadership sponsored, CHIP will receive non-lapsing appropriations.

Click here for more information and a CHIP enrollment form.

Email to a friendPosted in KCPW Newsroom and 2008 Legislative Coverage. Copyright 2008 KCPW