CHIP funding at risk

SPOKANE, Wash. — The Children’s Insurance Program, or CHIP, could be completely out of funding by the end of next month.

CHIP provides health insurance coverage for nearly 9 million kids across the nation whose families have too much income to quality for Medicaid, but can’t afford the cost of insurance. The program is either free, or based on a family’s annual income.

Lawmakers are facing pressure to reauthorize the program as states, including Idaho and Washington could be out of the funding needed to cover the program by the end of the month.

“CHIP is one of those things that’s really critical,” said Curtis Fackler, Better Health Together. “It’s one of those gap programs that’s for families that are basically lower middle class or middle class families that just don’t have that extra money.”

Versions of CHIP re-authorization have passed both the House and a key Senate committee, but there are disagreements about how to pay for it.

CHIP costs just over $16 billion each year.

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