U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
Improving the health, safety, and well-being of America
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U.S. Department of Health & Human Services |
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Improving the health, safety, and well-being of America |
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| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Thursday, July 12, 2001 |
Contact: | CMS Press Office (202) 690-6145 |
"This change will allow New York to cover tens of thousands more children who otherwise would not have health insurance," Secretary Thompson said. "By giving states the flexibility that they need to best meet their residents' needs, we are strengthening the SCHIP program in New York and elsewhere around the country."
The approval will allow the state to effectively increase the income eligibility level for enrollment in the health insurance program to children in families with income up to 250 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL). The state will use "income disregards" that will bring the families' incomes to an equivalent of 200 percent of poverty, or $35,300 annually for a family of four. Income disregards allow the state to set aside from consideration certain kinds of income the family may have, such as assistance from other state and federal aid programs.
The state expects this change to add 33,400 children to the rolls by the end of March 2002. They will join the 700,000 children currently being served by the program.
New York is eligible to receive $322 million in federal funds for fiscal 2001. SCHIP is historic, bipartisan legislation enacted in 1997. The SCHIP law appropriates $40 billion over 10 years to help states expand health insurance to children whose families earn too much for traditional Medicaid, yet not enough to afford private insurance. All states with SCHIP plans will receive federal matching funds only for actual expenditures to increase levels of health coverage for children.
SCHIP gives states three options for devising a plan to cover uninsured children: designing a new children's health insurance program; expanding Medicaid programs; or a combination of both strategies. HHS must approve any amendment to a state's SCHIP program.
New York has created a combination plan that expanded coverage to children in both its Medicaid program and in its existing statewide Child Health Plus program. The CHPlus program currently provides coverage to children under the age of 19 with incomes at or below 192 percent of FPL.
SCHIP plans have been approved for all the states and territories.
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