Senate Finance leaders announce CHIP funding agreement

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-OR) yesterday announced an agreement to extend funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program for five years. The lawmakers expect to release legislative language for the funding extension in the coming days. Created as part of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, CHIP covers 8.9 million children with family incomes above Medicaid eligibility limits who lack access to affordable private coverage. While the program is authorized through Oct. 1, 2019, legislative action is needed to continue funding beyond this month. For more on CHIP, see the AHA infographic.