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The approval will allow the state to eliminate the six-month period of noncoverage that children currently must undergo before being eligible to enroll in the program. The Kansas program covers children in families with incomes up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL) that are not eligible for regular Medicaid. The FPL is $17,650 for a family of four. The state covered nearly 20,000 children as of December 2000.

Kansas is eligible to receive over $29 million in federal funds for fiscal 2001. SCHIP is historic, bipartisan legislation enacted in 1997. The SCHIP law appropriates $24 billion over five years to help states expand health insurance to children whose families earn too much for traditional Medicaid, yet not enough to afford private insurance. Kansas, like all states with SCHIP plans, will receive federal matching funds only for actual expenditures to insure children.

"This administration will work closely with states to ensure flexibility at the local level to get health insurance to children who need it," said Thompson. "This is just an example of how the federal government can let states make decisions that make sense for them and their citizens."

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.

"Kansas' move to reduce the waiting period for children who need health insurance is good news for those families," said Secretary Thompson. "Changes to enhance access to the program demonstrate how popular SCHIP is with states. Both states and the Bush administration are enthusiastic about this program's capacity to expand access to health care to children."

SCHIP plans have been approved for all the states and territories.

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