Twenty-three states that have implemented at least five of eight programs to streamline children's health insurance coverage and meet enrollment targets will receive more than $296 million in federal performance bonuses, the Health and Human Services (HHS) Department announced Wednesday.
The performance bonus payments are funded under the Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act (CHIPRA), one of the first pieces of legislation signed into law by President Obama in 2009. To qualify for these bonus payments, states must surpass a specified Medicaid enrollment target. They also must adopt procedures that improve access to Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), making it easier for eligible children to enroll and retain coverage.
The bonuses come one week after new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that the number of children with insurance increased by 1.2 million since the CHIP (Children's Health Insurance Program) reauthorization in 2009. An HHS issue brief notes that this increase has been entirely due to greater enrollment in public programs such as Medicaid and CHIP.
Employers, you can help keep your workforces informed of their children's rights under CHIPRA by posting our CHIPRA Compliance Poster. Get yours today.