State Budget Woes Prompt Big Changes in CHP+
from School Health Reporter, Fall 2003
Shannon Yauk, The Children's Hospital Advocacy Coordinator
In an exciting move to increase healthcare access for children in 1997, the U.S. Congress passed the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) legislation which enabled States to initiate and expand health coverage to uninsured, low income children. States were able do this in one of two ways: 1) create a “stand-alone” insurance program for children following federal SCHIP guidelines, or 2) expand eligibility under the State’s Medicaid program. In 1998, the Colorado legislature voted to create a stand-alone program, the Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+).
CHP+ is a low-cost health insurance program for uninsured Colorado children, ages 18 and under, whose families earn or own too much to qualify for Medicaid but cannot afford private insurance. Since the program’s inception in 1998 enrollment has grown exponentially from a few hundred to nearly 50,000 children enrolled as of July 2003. CHP+ has experienced many changes in the past year; several of these are highlighted here.
- CHP+ is administered by the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF), which contracts with private entities to manage eligibility, enrollment, information services and provider network administration for CHP+. On Aug. 1, 2003 a new contractor, Affiliated Computer Services, Inc. (ACS), began managing the eligibility, enrollment, and information services functions of CHP+. The CHP+ application, eligibility and enrollment processes, and benefit package remain the same, along with the CHP+ main phone number, 1-800-359-1991. However, the CHP+ mailing address and office location have changed. The new mailing address is: P.O. Box 929 , Denver , CO 80201 . The CHP+ office is now located at: 600 17th Street, Suite 710 , Denver , CO 80202 .
- It was an exciting day when CHP+ enrolled the first low-income pregnant woman in the CHP+ Prenatal Care Program on Oct. 8, 2002 . However, due to budget constraints during the 2003 legislative session, enrollment in the CHP+ Prenatal Care Program was suspended on May 5, 2003 . Prenatal Care Program enrollment was suspended primarily to contain program costs, but also was due to the expectation of having to cap children’s enrollment later in 2003. Those pregnant women enrolled in the CHP+ Prenatal Care Program prior to May 5, 2003 remain enrolled in the program throughout their pregnancy.
- Suspending the CHP+ Prenatal Care Program was only a portion of the CHP+ cost-saving measures undertaken by the legislature in 2003. Legislation was also passed that limited the CHP+ budget to an average monthly enrollment of 52,695 members. Based on a HCPF report at the Medical Services Board, the rule-making body for CHP+ and Medicaid, CHP+ is expected to reach the cap and stop enrolling new members sometime in November 2003. It is important to note that although new CHP+ enrollment is expected to be suspended sometime this fall, CHP+ applications are currently being processed as usual and all eligible children are being enrolled.
Many children’s advocacy groups have pledged to work together to avoid further cuts to CHP+ and other state healthcare programs. The thousands of children served by CHP+ are not often able to speak up for themselves, therefore, during these trying budgetary times it is now more important than ever for adults to stand up for kids’ health issues. One simple way to do this is by joining The Children’s Hospital Grassroots Advocacy Network, a group of more than 3,000 individuals interested in making sure that public policies and laws are good for kids’ health and well-being. Network members receive action alerts when laws are being proposed that could impact kids’ health or safety. Members are always given the tools to influence public policy in five minutes or less.
Joining is easy, visit Speak Up for Kids!
