1.2 million American kids gain health coverage through CHIP

Despite the flagging economy, the number of uninsured children in America has decreased by 1.2 million since Congress bolstered the Children’s Health Insurance Program in 2009. And new federal aid to state governments is encouraging them to cover even more needy kids through popular public health programs.

Twenty-three U.S. states are sharing $296.5 million for encouraging low-income families to enroll their children in public health programs.  Bonuses announced last week by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services reward states that streamline eligibility for Medicaid, the federal-state health program for the poor, or the Children’s Health Insurance Program.  The effort is aimed at children younger than 19 from households with annual incomes of as much as $45,000 for a family of four, though some states have more generous criteria.

States which received bonuses include Alabama, Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina, Washington, Wisconsin, and Virginia.

When you consider the 2.5 million young adults also joining the insurance rolls in recent years, it’s clear that America has made great gains in coverage for kids. You can read this issue brief from the Department of Health and Human Services to learn how more children are gaining health coverage through these programs.