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News Release

HHS APPROVES MICHIGAN, RHODE ISLAND PLANS
TO EXPAND PRENATAL CARE UNDER SCHIP

HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson today approved requests by Michigan and Rhode Island to expand prenatal care to low-income pregnant women and their unborn children under the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).

The two states are the first to take advantage of a new HHS regulation allowing them to provide prenatal services as an option under SCHIP. The two state plans together will provide prenatal care to nearly 6,000 pregnant women and their unborn children.

"Michigan and Rhode Island deserve credit for taking advantage of this new, simple option to expand prenatal care to low-income women and their unborn children," Secretary Thompson said. "Prenatal care for pregnant women and their babies is crucial to the health and well-being of both mother and child. By providing this coverage, we are ensuring that these children are given the best opportunity for a healthy life."

Under the new regulations, states can offer health coverage to pregnant women as a state plan option under the SCHIP program, rather than going through the process of requesting and receiving an SCHIP waiver. This allows states to implement the changes more quickly and expand coverage of prenatal care to pregnant women, whose children otherwise would be eligible for Medicaid or SCHIP coverage only after they are born.

Under its new plan, Michigan expects enrollment to reach more than 5,000 individuals, including those with family incomes up to 185 percent of the federal poverty level -- or $16,613 for an individual and $34,040 for a family of four. Enrollees will receive the standard SCHIP benefit package that includes prenatal care for the mother and her unborn child.

Rhode Island's new program will extend eligibility to those with family incomes of up to 250 percent of the poverty level -- or $17,960 for an individual and $36,800 for a family of four. In the first year, the state expects enrollment to reach 675. They will receive the state's SCHIP benefit package including prenatal care.

SCHIP was enacted with bipartisan support in 1997 with total 10-year funding authorized at $40 billion. States receive a federal match of approximately 70 percent on all SCHIP expenditures. Although all states now operate SCHIP programs, substantial portions of the available funds are still unused. "President Bush and I are committed to doing everything we can to encourage states to use all their SCHIP funds to expand health coverage to low-income children and pregnant mothers in their states who otherwise would remain uninsured," Secretary Thompson said. "This prenatal care option provides a real opportunity for states to help more pregnant women and children who need reliable, quality health care."

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Last Revised: April 17, 2003