Marble Falls       Despite all of the promises that the Trump budget bill would not reduce benefits for lower income and working families, the hurt is already real.  Some 770,000 children have already lost SNAP or food stamp benefits alone.  Many states are warning that progress made on healthcare are also going to be turned back when the full impact of the bill hits Medicaid in 2027.  Some advocates in the states have suggested that the CHIPs program might offset some of the blow, at least to children, depending on the state and whether families realize this alternative might exist.

CHIP or the Children’s Health Insurance Program could make a difference.  CHIP is a joint state-federal program that provides low-cost health coverage to children in families that earn too much to qualify for Medicaid but not enough to afford private insurance.  The federal government provides matching funds to states, which then administer their own programs. Benefits and eligibility criteria vary by state based on how much each state invests and is then reimbursed by the federal government. Depending on where you live, your state might integrate CHIP into its Medicaid program, run a completely separate CHIP program, or operate a hybrid system, like Arkansas which administers its CHIP as “ARKids First”.  CHIP is designed to be highly affordable. Depending on your income, you may receive free coverage, or be required to pay a low monthly premium and small copayments. By law, total annual out-of-pocket costs cannot exceed 5% of your family’s annual income.  Every state is required to provide comprehensive coverage. Covered services usually include routine check-ups, immunizations, doctor visits, prescriptions, emergency care, dental and vision care, and mental health services.  Most states set their CHIP eligibility caps somewhere between 200% and 250% of the FPL, though some reach over 300%.  In Pennsylvania for example, there is no income limit, but families would pay the full cost of $250 or per month for the coverage.

CHIP is not perfect, but it’s something that could provide a basic level of healthcare to children as they mature to adults which could be key to their success in education and future employment.  The problem, once again, lies in outreach and navigation.  Will states refer eligible families to their CHIPs programs and assist them in applying and receiving the benefits or will they put barriers in the path, similar to the bureaucratic hoops being embedded in SNAP and Medicaid to meet the objectives of the budget bill?  Further, will states already strapped to cover the shortfall for adults and families in Trump’s bill increase their funding to CHIP in order to offset the loss of healthcare for children or will they decrease their part of the match to handle the other administrative and recertification burdens imposed by the bill.

Projects like the BRAVO coalition could make a difference here, if sufficient advocates and navigators could be recruited and trained to satisfy volunteer work requirements on SNAP and Medicaid, but it’s a huge gap to fill.  In short, might CHIP be a lifeline for many children or will it be another rope pulled back from eligible children and letting them drown?