Congress Passes Short-Term Patch For CHIP Funding But Punts On Long-Term Solution
Funding for CHIP lapsed after Democrats and Republicans clashed on how to pay for a five-year extension of the popular program. States have been getting desperate, as funds dwindled. “You can’t run an insurance program this way,” says Sara Rosenbaum, a professor at George Washington University.
The New York Times:
Congress Passes Stopgap Bill To Avoid Government Shutdown Against A Friday Deadline
Congress gave final approval on Thursday to legislation to keep the government funded into January, averting a government shutdown this weekend but kicking fights over issues like immigration, surveillance and health care into the new year. The stopgap spending bill extends government funding until Jan. 19 while also providing a short-term funding fix for the Children’s Health Insurance Program, or CHIP, whose financing lapsed at the end of September. (Kaplan, 12/21)
The Hill:
GOP Includes $2.8B For Children's Health-Care Funding In Stopgap Bill
House Republicans have included $2.85 billion to extend funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) in a stopgap spending measure intended to prevent a government shutdown on Saturday. The funding provides money for CHIP through the end of March as the GOP faces criticism from Democrats, who argued Republicans were prepared to leave town without extending a program that provides support for 9 million children across the country. (Roubein, 12/21)
Politico:
Children's Health Funding Hangs In The Balance As Congress Leaves Town
Congress is likely to depart Washington this week approving just enough money for children’s health insurance through March and leaving families and governors wondering what's next. Only days after clearing a massive tax reform bill along party lines, Republicans are still trying to figure out how to keep the government open past Friday, with hopes of including funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program, which covers roughly 9 million low- and middle-income kids. So far, Republican and Democratic sources say they don’t expect to be able to attach more than six months of CHIP funding, with three of those months retroactive to when Congress let funding lapse, on Sept. 30. (Haberkorn and Pradhan, 12/21)
The Associated Press:
How States Coping With Uncertainty Over Kids' Health Money
Examples of how states have been reacting to the threat of running out of federal money for the Children's Health Insurance Program. It was unclear how their plans might change with the short-term federal funds Congress approved Thursday. (12/22)
The Hill:
States Say Short-Term Funding Not Enough For Children’s Health
State governments are warning that the short-term funding for a critical children’s health program approved by Congress on Thursday may be too little and too late. Warning letters in at least three states have already been sent to families saying they could soon lose coverage for their children come Jan. 31 without new funding from Congress. Even if the new funding keeps their programs afloat, it sends a negative message to enrollees and that could cause long-term implications, experts say. (Roubein and Sullivan, 12/22)