Commission recommends extending CHIP funding

The Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Payment Access Commission (MACPAC) has recommended that the U.S. Congress should extend CHIP funding for a transition period of two additional years, according to the American Dental Education Association (ADEA).

Funding for the program will expire at the end of fiscal year 2015, and MACPAC has been debating various options to extend funding. The group unanimously approved a recommendation that "Congress should extend federal CHIP funding for a transition period of two additional years during which time the key issues regarding the affordability and adequacy of children's coverage be addressed." The recommendation calls on Congress to provide funding through 2017, two years beyond the current allocation.

The Congressional Budget Office has estimated that the 12.7 million children expected to be enrolled in 2015 would be at risk of losing their CHIP coverage in 2016 if funding is not continued. In April, the Partnership for Medicaid sent a letter to Congress urging continued funding of the program. ADEA is a member of the Partnership for Medicaid and joined the sign-on letter.

MACPAC will release its report to Congress on Medicaid and CHIP by June 15.