WICS Live: Around the States

Delaware: New Law Increases State CHIP’s Reach: Governor Jack Markell (D) August 27th signed legislation to extend the state's Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) to children in families with incomes over 200% of the federal poverty level (FPL). Delaware has about 20,000 uninsured children, but only about half of them are eligible for CHIP and Medicaid coverage. The new law will permit approximately 9,000 families to buy into the state’s SCHIP at the state’s cost. To be eligible, a child over age 2 in a family with income above 200% of poverty must have been uninsured for at least three consecutive months, unless his or her parent is eligible for unemployment benefits or lost health benefits coverage involuntarily.