CBS News quoted Manatt’s Cindy Mann, a partner with Manatt Health, in an article on what parents need to know about funding delays for the Children’s Health Insurance Program.
On Sept. 30, Congress failed to reauthorize funding for CHIP. State governors, child advocates and healthcare professionals are working toward getting Congress to fund the program as the end of the year approaches. Since CHIP is funded with a combination of federal and state dollars—and Congress’ attention is focused on the tax reform bill—a solution to CHIP funding may not be immediate.
Mann told the publication that in the meantime, parents should become educated on the situation so that they can prepare for whatever happens. One step is to identify how CHIP works in a given state.
“If your child is receiving CHIP coverage through Medicaid, her coverage won’t end,” said Mann. “Under Medicaid, the state is obligated to continue coverage … In addition, some states that run their own CHIP programs have said they’ll contribute state funds to make up for missing federal dollars.”
Read the article here.