The American Academy of Pediatrics is voicing its continued support of the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and hoping to garner future support in the process. CHIP was signed into law in 1997 as part of the Balanced Budget Act, it was reauthorized in 2009 under the CHIP Reauthorization Act, and extended through 2019 with funding through 2015 in 2010 under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

The AAP sites CHIP as currently providing coverage for 8 million children, reducing the number of uninsured children by 50% since 1997, and being the largest insurer of US children in 2012 in conjunction with Medicaid. There is concern that 2015 will mark a time when some CHIP covered children will lose health insurance coverage since that is when the currently proposed federal funding expires.   Congress will re-examine a legislative proposal to further support CHIP on March 31st. The AAP is calling for providers to advocate to their legislators.

• See the AAP article for more details “Why CHIP Matters for Children and Pediatricians are doing to Protect It” http://aapnews.aappublications.org/content/early/2014/01/27/aapnews.20140127-1

• For more information on details of the March 31st proposal and the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities stance see: http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=4056

• For similar initiatives and statistics see the Children’s Hospital Association:http://www.childrenshospitals.net/AM/Template.cfm?Section=SCHIP&Template=/TaggedPage/TaggedPageDisplay.cfm&TPLID=158&ContentID=46087

• To find and contact your Legislators see: http://www.usa.gov/Contact/Elected.shtml

by Shae Anderson, MD