This study released February 4, examined Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) coverage one year after President Obama signed the Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act (CHIPRA).  The study found that an additional 2.6 million previously uninsured children gained coverage in FY2009, which HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius attributes largely to additional funding and financial incentives under CHIPRA.  In addition, since passing CHIPRA, more than half of states have adopted children’s coverage improvements and at least 19 states increased eligibility, eliminated monthly premiums, or simplified enrollment procedures.  However, the study also found that 5 million uninsured children are eligible for Medicaid or CHIP but remain unenrolled. 

From the report:

2009 was a busy year for both the federal government and states in terms of children’s coverage. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) developed policy guidance in the form of letters and question‐and‐answer documents for state health officials (state Medicaid and CHIP directors as well as public health officials) to assist states in implementing the new provisions in CHIPRA. Many of these provisions relate to improving eligibility and enrollment practices, among other key policy issues. CMS released a dozen policy letters to states in 2009 on topics such as automatic Medicaid/CHIP eligibility for newborn babies, optional coverage of pregnant women in CHIP, application of the Medicaid managed care protections to CHIP plans, new requirements for dental services in CHIP, premium assistance options, and changes to and new options for meeting the citizenship documentation requirement in Medicaid and CHIP.14 CMS issued this guidance with the benefit of state input offered through a new CHIPRA Technical Advisory Group (TAG) made up of Medicaid and CHIP directors. The CHIPRA TAG provides advice and feedback to CMS as it undertakes the policymaking process. CMS expects to issue a comprehensive set of proposed regulations implementing CHIPRA in 2010.