More Than Just 'Chipping' Away at Problem of Uninsured Children

MANAGED CARE April 2002. ©MediMedia USA

CHIP (the Children's Health Insurance Program) continues to grow by leaps and bounds. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services reports that about 4.6 million children in the U.S. received coverage through CHIP in fiscal year 2001. That's an increase of 38 percent from fiscal year 2000, which CMS ascribes mostly to state coverage expansions, program maturity, and simpler enrollment procedures. In addition, more than 230,000 adults were enrolled in the program in demonstration projects designed to test the hypothesis that enrolling parents will lead to the enrollment of more children.

SOURCE: CENTERS FOR MEDICARE AND MEDICAID SERVICES, THE STATE CHILDREN'S HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM ANNUAL ENROLLMENT REPORT