T he State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) is a federal-state program that provides health coverage to certain uninsured, low-income children and pregnant women in families that have annual income above Medicaid eligibility levels. CHIP is jointly financed by the federal government and the states and is administered by the states. FY2017 was the last year federal CHIP funding was appropriated in statute, and FY2018 began on October 1, 2017, without CHIP funding being extended. As a result, states do not currently have full-year FY2018 CHIP allotments, and states are funding their CHIP programs with unspent federal CHIP funds from prior years. On October 4, 2017, both the Senate Finance Committee and the House Energy and Commerce Committee had markups on different bills that would extend CHIP federal funding through FY2022, among other things. The Senate Finance Committee reported the Keeping Kids' Insurance Dependable and Secure Act of 2017 (KIDS Act, S. 1827 ), which would extend federal CHIP funding through FY2022 and extend the increased enhanced federal medical assistance percentage (E-FMAP) rates for one year (i.e., through FY2020) but with an 11.5 percentage point increase instead of a 23 percentage point increase under current law. The bill also includes extensions of other CHIP provisions (e.g., the Express Lane eligibility option and the maintenance of effort [MOE] for children in families with incomes below 300% of the federal poverty level [FPL]) and other programs and demonstrations (e.g., the Child Obesity Demonstration Project and the Pediatric Quality Measures Program). 115-97 , enacted on December 22, 2017. The House Energy and Commerce Committee reported the Helping Ensure Access for Little Ones, Toddlers, and Hopeful Youth by Keeping Insurance Delivery Stable Act of 2017 (HEALTHY KIDS Act, H.R. 3921 ), which includes almost identical language to the KIDS Act that would extend CHIP federal funding through FY2022 and extend the increased E-FMAP for one year at 11.5 percentage points. The HEALTHY KIDS Act also includes almost identical language that would extend the same CHIP provisions and other programs and demonstrations as the KIDS Act. The HEALTHY KIDS Act also includes some provisions that are not in the KIDS Act, such as adding a new CHIP state option for qualified CHIP look-alike plans; modifying the Medicaid disproportionate share hospital (DSH) allotment reductions; and providing additional Medicaid funding to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The HEALTHY KIDS Act includes the following provisions as offsets: modifications to Medicaid third party liability, treatment of lottery winnings for Medicaid eligibility, and Medicare Part B and D premium subsidies for higher-income individuals. On October 30, 2017, the House Rules Committee posted an amendment in the nature of a substitute for the Community Health And Medical Professionals Improve Our Nation Act of 2017 (CHAMPION Act, H.R. 601 ), meaning that it is intended to be considered by the House as an amendment to H.R. 3922 and the language of the CHAMPION Act would be stricken and the text of the amendment in the nature of the substitute would be inserted in its place. This amendment in the nature of a substitute is entitled the Continuing Community Health And Medical Professional Programs to Improve Our Nation, Increase National Gains, and Help Ensure Access for Little Ones, Toddlers, and Hopeful Youth by Keeping Insurance Delivery Stable Act of 2017 (CHAMPIONING HEALTHY KIDS Act), and it includes revised language for the CHAMPION Act (which would extend funding for community health centers and other programs, among other things) under Division A and revised language for the HEALTHY KIDS Act under Division B. The House passed the CHAMPIONING HEALTHY KIDS Act on November 3, 2017, by a vote of 242 to 174. This report contains a table that provides an overview of the provisions in the KIDS Act and Division B of the CHAMPIONING HEALTHY KIDS Act as baselined against current law. Funding was not appropriated for FY2015.
The State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) is a means-tested program that provides health coverage to targeted low-income children and pregnant women in families that have annual income above Medicaid eligibility levels but have no health insurance. CHIP is jointly financed by the federal government and the states, and the states are responsible for administering CHIP.
In statute, FY2017 was the last year a federal CHIP appropriation was provided. Federal CHIP funding was not extended before the beginning of FY2018. As a result, states do not currently have full-year FY2018 CHIP allotments and states are funding their CHIP programs with unspent federal CHIP funds from prior years. The continuing resolutions enacted on December 8, 2017, and December 22, 2017, both include provisions that provide short-term funding for CHIP. The continuing resolution enacted on December 8, 2017, includes a special rule for redistribution funds, and the continuing resolution enacted on December 22, 2017, includes short-term appropriations and an extension of the special rule for redistribution funds. This short-term funding is not sufficient to fund CHIP through the end of FY2018.There are a couple of bills that would extend federal funding for CHIP for five years. On October 4, 2017, both the Senate Finance Committee and the House Energy and Commerce Committee had markups on different bills that would extend CHIP federal funding through FY2022, among other provisions.
The Senate Finance Committee reported the Keeping Kids' Insurance Dependable and Secure Act of 2017 (KIDS Act, S. 1827), which would extend federal CHIP funding through FY2022 and extend the increased enhanced federal medical assistance percentage (E-FMAP) rates for one year (i.e., through FY2020) but with an 11.5 percentage point increase instead of the 23 percentage point increase under current law. The bill also includes extensions of other CHIP provisions (e.g., the Express Lane eligibility option and the maintenance of effort for children with incomes below 300% of the federal poverty level) and other programs and demonstrations (e.g., the Child Obesity Demonstration Project and the Pediatric Quality Measures Program).
The House Energy and Commerce Committee reported the Helping Ensure Access for Little Ones, Toddlers, and Hopeful Youth by Keeping Insurance Delivery Stable Act of 2017 (HEALTHY KIDS Act, H.R. 3921, H.Rept. 115-358), which includes almost identical language to the KIDS Act that would extend CHIP federal funding through FY2022 and extend the increased E-FMAP for one year at 11.5 percentage points. The HEALTHY KIDS Act also includes almost identical language that would extend the same CHIP provisions and other programs and demonstrations as the KIDS Act. The HEALTHY KIDS Act also includes some provisions that are not in the KIDS Act, such as adding a new CHIP state option for qualified CHIP look-alike plans, modifying the Medicaid disproportionate share hospital (DSH) allotment reductions, and providing additional Medicaid funding to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The HEALTHY KIDS Act includes the following provisions as offsets: modifications to Medicaid third party liability, treatment of lottery winnings for Medicaid eligibility, and Medicare Part B and D premium subsidies for higher-income individuals.
On October 30, 2017, the House Rules Committee posted an amendment in the nature of a substitute for the Community Health And Medical Professionals Improve Our Nation Act of 2017 (CHAMPION Act, H.R. 3922), meaning that it is intended to be considered by the House as an amendment to H.R. 3922 and the language of the CHAMPION Act would be stricken and the text of the amendment in the nature of the substitute would be inserted in its place. This amendment in the nature of a substitute is entitled the Continuing Community Health And Medical Professional Programs to Improve Our Nation, Increase National Gains, and Help Ensure Access for Little Ones, Toddlers, and Hopeful Youth by Keeping Insurance Delivery Stable Act of 2017 (CHAMPIONING HEALTHY KIDS Act), and it includes revised language for the CHAMPION Act (which would extend funding for community health centers and other programs among other things) under Division A and revised language for the HEALTHY KIDS Act under Division B. The House passed the CHAMPIONING HEALTHY KIDS Act on November 3, 2017, by a vote of 242 to 174.
This report compares and summarizes the provisions in the KIDS Act and in Division B of the CHAMPIONING HEALTHY KIDS Act.