Implementation of the State Children's Health Insurance Program: Synthesis of State Evaluations

摘要

The State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) provides funds to states to expand health insurance coverage for low-income children who are uninsured. States have a great deal of flexibility to design and implement SCHIP, resulting in considerable diversity across states. Moreover, SCHIP programs continue to grow and evolve, with state approaches being modified and expanded as states gain experience and knowledge. Enrollment in SCHIP more than doubled from one million children in Federal fiscal year (FFY) 1998, to two million children during FFY 1999. Enrollment reached 3.4 million in FFY 2000 and continued to climb to 4.6 million in FFY 2001. This report describes the early implementation and progress of SCHIP programs in reaching and enrolling eligible children and reducing the number of low-income children who are uninsured. The report presents a snapshot of states' early experiences with their SCHIP programs based on information contained within the state evaluations, which were submitted in March 2000. SCHIP is a dynamic program and many states have modified their SCHIP programs to take advantage of the flexibility offered under title XXI. This report, therefore, provides a snapshot of SCHIP in its early years.