The State Children’s Health Insurance Program (S-CHIP) legislation signed last week by President Barack Obama will increase Rhode Island’s available allotment in federal aid from $13.2 million to $69.5 million, allowing the state to preserve coverage for 12,500 children on RIte Care and to expand CHIP coverage further, U.S. Sen. Jack Reed said.
The Rhode Island Democrat helped craft the original program in 1997 and has fought to preserve and expand it since then, but President George W. Bush had vetoed previous efforts.
CHIP provides health coverage to uninsured children whose parents do not qualify for Medicaid. The Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 will invest $32.8 billion over four and a half years in preserving coverage for the 6.7 million children enrolled in the program and extending coverage to 4.1 million more children nationwide.
The law also facilitates enrollment through expanded outreach and improves benefits by requiring dental coverage and mental health parity.
“After years of hard work I am pleased we were finally able to get this bill signed into law,” said Reed. “This legislation will help us extend coverage to more kids who need it and provide significant support for successful state programs like RIte Care that deliver quality, affordable health care. This is a smart investment in our children’s future that is fully paid for through an increase of the cigarette tax, without the need for deficit spending.”
Information about legislation pending before the U.S. Congress is available from the Library of Congress at thomas.loc.gov.
