West Virginia Children's Services Continue Following Bush Veto Of SCHIP

Oct. 3, 2007 -- CHARLESTON -- West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin today announced that, despite President George W. Bush’s veto today of the bipartisan legislation passed by Congress on Sept. 27, 2007, to reauthorize the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), the West Virginia Children’s Health Insurance Program (WVCHIP) will continue to serve the qualified children of West Virginia while this issue is resolved.

With about 25,000 children currently enrolled in West Virginia’s program, SCHIP is operating under the Continuing Resolution that temporarily extends $5.1 billion, the same appropriated level as last year, to be divided among the states for the next 47 days until the resolution expires Nov. 16, 2007. Funding for the WVCHIP is stable, with about $23 million in federal dollars to be carried forward. A portion of the fiscal year 2008 funds also will be available under the resolution.

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“The philosophy for our state’s program has always been to provide health care insurance to those children who are above the Medicaid-specified poverty levels and, thus, not eligible for the federal Medicaid program,” Manchin said. “I have joined with other states in writing to the president to urge him to sign this legislation into law and am disappointed in his decision to use his veto power. However, I will continue to work with our state’s congressional delegation to continue to protect these children by seeking a resolution in offering necessary health care protection.”

In 1997, Congress amended the Social Security Act to create Title XXI “State Children’s Health Insurance Program.” The West Virginia Legislature established the insurance governance and legal framework in legislation that enacted in April 1998. Children first began enrolling in the West Virginia Children’s Health Insurance Program (WVCHIP) in July 1998.

“Often CHIP is incorrectly referred to as a program for the poor. It is important to clarify that this program is targeted for children of working low-income families, so they may remain working and continue to be a vital contributing part of our communities,” said Sharon Carte, executive director of WVCHIP. “This program never has, nor under any proposed reauthorization bills, ever will, become a Medicaid-type coverage. It has always required some level of co-payments for certain services to assure that CHIP families gain financial responsibility in the health care of their children.”

The 2006 Regular Session of the State Legislature passed House Bill 4021, which upon approval by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, allowed for the implementation by West Virginia Children’s Health Insurance Program (WVCHIP) to expand coverage to uninsured children of families with income between 200 and 300 percent of the federal poverty level.

Due to the uncertainty of the federal reauthorization of the national Children’s Health Insurance Program and to ensure the financial stability of the program, WVCHIP expanded its program, effective Jan. 1, 2007, to include eligibility for families living up to 220 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL). The board annually will consider the feasibility of 20 percent increments of the FPL.

Source: West Virginia Governor