Useful Resources
SCHIP: State Children's Health Insurance Program
January 27, 2010
Created by Congress in 1997, the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) provides coverage for children whose families earn too much to qualify for Medicaid, but too little to afford private insurance. States set their own income eligibility requirements, and the federal government matches a portion of each state's spending each year, up to a capped amount that is not enough to cover all children.
In 2007, President George W. Bush had vetoed legislation to expand SCHIP and implemented rules that tightened eligibility, raising some concerns that poor children's access to health care might be reduced.
In his first weeks in office, President Barack Obama signed legislation to expand SCHIP to cover an additional 4 million uninsured children at a cost of $32.8 billion, bringing the total number covered to about 11 million. Even so, between 4 and 5 million children will remain uninsured. The current uncertain state of health reform makes SCHIP's future unclear as well. Updated March 2010.
Resource Links
Blogs
The 22 regular bloggers, most of who are left-leaning, regularly post on policy issues like the SCHIP.
Hosted by Health Affairs journal, this blog includes news, policy items and views from the magazine's staff and others.
Guidance for Consumers
FAQs and links to state programs.
Advocacy
Page contains information on SCHIP legislation, advocacy toolkits and implementation efforts.
Campaign funded by Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
This think tank promotes conservative solutions to public policy issues. One approach it advocates is to expand tax credits for insurance purchase.
Links to papers by the center and other groups advocating a free-market approach to covering children.
Public Policy
In November 2007, GAO looked at this contentious issue, which has been a focus of concern among some Republicans.
Resources from the National Academy for State Health Policy look at SCHIP and other efforts.
A March 2008 Urban Institute report commissioned by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation explains the various political fights on renewing SCHIP legislation. The legislation was reauthorized in 2009.
This independent group of state health policymakers idetnifies emerging issues and recommends policy solutions for common problems.
Statistics, Trends and Research
State-by-state statistics on enfrollment and care of children, commissioned by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation in 2007.
Trends and Research, Statistics
"Fast facts" from this non-partisan foundation provide an excellent summary of the situation nationally and by state. Includes easily downloadable graphs and pie charts.
National and state yearly data on the number of children with various forms of insurance.
Understanding SCHIP
State's Web site on its program, called Healthy Families.
Government rules on the program
Toolkit for reporters from a nonpartisan group that believes: "All in the U.S. should have health coverage at a reasonable cost."
Preared for Congressional hearing on extending the program
Numerous reports on SCHIP, including the basic facts and statistics, policy issues and more.
