CHIP: A Utah Success Story
Utah’s Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) is federal-state partnership that works to provide health care for nearly 40,000 Utah kids. During these difficult economic times, CHIP and Medicaid has been a success story for Utah’s kids. Because of these programs the number of uninsured children in Utah has not increased, even as the recession has cost thousands of Utah families both jobs and health insurance.
Everyday Utah’s CHIP program helps kids like D’Andre. D’Andre suffers from diabetes. Unfortunately for his family, his mom’s employer does not offer insurance and, because of her son’s condition, a plan on the individual market would cost their family more than half of their monthly income. But thanks to CHIP, D’Andre is able to access the care he needs.
For more information about CHIP and stories like D’Andre’s, visit Voices for Utah Children.
The Threat in Congress
While CHIP is administered by the State of Utah, the federal government provides about 80¢ of every CHIP dollar. As a result, decisions about the federal budget have an enormous impact on Utah children’s ability to get the care they need. The U.S. House Budget Committee’s proposed federal fiscal year 2013 budget would cut nearly $30 billion from CHIP funding over two years and more than $160 billion from children’s share of Medicaid over 10 years.
For more details on the House budget committee proposal, read the First Focus fact sheet.