State Children’s Health Insurance Program

Created in 1997, SCHIP provides health insurance coverage for families with too much income to qualify for Medicaid, but not enough income to afford private insurance. States receive block grants from the national government in the form of matching funds based on expenditures per participant.

SCHIP matching funds are set to expire unless Congress reauthorizes the program — and governors are lobbying for significantly more money. This new R&C asks whether more funding is necessary and whether the program needs to be reformed.