To: National Desk, Health Care Reporter
Contact: Bill Erwin or Judith Saies, 202-466-5626, both of the Alliance for Health Reform
WASHINGTON, July 30 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Enrollment of uninsured children into state Children's Health Insurance Programs (CHIP) grew by more than 50 percent in the past six months, according to national and state-by-state figures released at a forum sponsored by the Alliance for Health Reform.
Enacted in 1997, CHIP has made available $24 billion in federal matching funds to the states over a five-year period, with a goal of insuring 5 million children. New enrollment data, collected by analyst Vernon Smith of Health Management Associates Inc., found states and the District of Columbia had enrolled almost 1.3 million uninsured children into CHIP by June 30, 1999. The data are the first compilation since the Clinton Administration released enrollment figures stating just fewer than 1 million uninsured kids were signed up for CHIP in December 1998. State CHIP directors also gave Smith revised figures for December 1998 enrollment, which totaled just fewer than 835,000.
"States are attacking this with vigor," said Smith. "These folks are really proud of what they've accomplished."
Noting that "every state is different," Smith reports increased enrollment in most states. Significant increases in California, Florida and New York accounted for almost half of the growth in enrollment.
The only state reporting an enrollment decline was Texas. Smith attributes the drop, from 34,800 enrolled kids in December to 30,000 in June, to the limited scope of the first phase of the state plan. The first phase covers only 15 to 18 year olds, and more of the early enrollees have "aged out" of eligibility than new eligibles have been added. Like a number of other states, Texas will be implementing a private coverage CHIP plan later this year.
"(States) have different Medicaid programs, they have different eligibility standards," said Smith. "Some have a narrow income band of eligibility, while others are fairly expansive. Some got into the program early; some are just beginning."
Smith cites further promising children's health coverage news. In many states, he said, at least one other child was enrolled into Medicaid for every child enrolled in CHIP. For example, for every 10 CHIP applications in Alabama, the state found three children were eligible for CHIP, but five were eligible for Medicaid (two were ineligible for either program).
The survey, part of a project that will also include up-to-date Medicaid enrollment figures, was prepared for The Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured, which is supported by the Kaiser Family Foundation.
The Alliance for Health Reform is a non-partisan, non-profit organization that educates elected officials, journalists and other opinion leaders about health policy issues. Its goals are extending health coverage to all Americans and containing health care costs.
For a copy of the study, see the Alliance Web site, www.allhealth.org, call the Alliance at 202-466-5626 or call the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured, 202-347-5270.
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(Negative numbers in parens) --
State............Dec. 98....June 99........Change
--------------------------------------------------
National..........834,790...1,306,514.......471,724
Ala................22,102......32,626........10,524
Alaska...............--.........3,093.........3,093
Ariz...............3,710.......14,985........11,275
Ark..................341..........712...........371
Calif.............55,189......133,991........78,802
Colo..............11,704.......17,783.........6,079
Conn...............7,460.......10,150.........2,690
Del..................--.........2,800.........2,800
D.C..................569........1,924.........1,355
Fla...............56,265......101,080........44,815
Ga..................--.........31,085........31,085
Hawaii..............--...........--............--
Idaho.............2,937.........3,541...........604
Ill..............26,877........38,586........11,709
Ind..............24,982........28,909.........3,927
Iowa..............7,004.........9,252.........2,248
Kan.................--.........11,024........11,024
Ky................1,145.........9,000.........7,855
La................3,741........17,628........13,887
Maine.............4,729.........6,404.........1,675
Md................9,192........14,494.........5,302
Mass.............30,912........46,867........15,955
Mich.............10,204........17,256.........7,052
Minn..................8.............8.............0
Miss..............5,968.........7,717.........1,749
Mo...............24,910........42,251........17,341
Mont.................--...........943...........943
Neb...............3,764.........5,192.........1,428
Nev...............2,782.........6,545.........3,763
N.H..................--.........1,426.........1,426
N.J..............20,153........33,548........13,395
N.M..................--...........868...........868
N.Y.............270,683.......352,273........81,590
N.C..............17,887........43,774........25,887
N.D..................79............92............13
Ohio.............35,300........38,420.........3,120
Okla.............18,000........25,000.........7,000
Ore..............10,366........12,608.........2,242
Pa...............68,376........78,998........10,622
R.I...............2,981.........4,666.........1,685
S.C..............34,026........42,198.........8,172
S.D...............1,405.........2,038...........633
Tenn................--.............--............--
Texas...........34,826.........30,088........(4,738)
Utah.............2,036..........4,656.........2,620
Vt.................406..........1,095...........689
Va...............1,420.........12,138........10,718
Wash................--.............--............--
W.Va...............351..........3,382..........3,031
Wis.................--..........3,400..........3,400
Wyo.................--.............--.............--
-0- /U.S. Newswire 202-347-2770/ 07/30 12:00
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