CHIP Gets Nearly $136 Million to Keep Texas Kids Covered

AUSTIN — Federal officials have given a health insurance program for low-income Texas children a short term funding boost to extend the kids’ coverage through February, the Texas Health and Human Services commission said Friday.The Children’s Health Insurance Program will receive nearly $136 million from the federal Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services, executive commissioner Charles Smith said in a letter to Gov. Greg Abbott on Friday.The infusion of federal money would allow the state commission, which runs CHIP, to delay sending cancellation letters to parents and guardians of about 400,000 children until after Christmas, commission spokeswoman Carrie Williams said.“The projected amount would be more than sufficient for us to cover CHIP clients through the month of February [we need $90M to carry us through February],” Williams said in an email. “Given this assurance, we don’t expect to have to send client letters this month about any changes in their coverage. And, we’re confident that Texas will receive enough federal funding to continue the program through February 2018.”  Continue reading...