First Focus

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The Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) provides health coverage to more than seven million low-income children in families whose income is too high to qualify for Medicaid, but who don’t earn enough to purchase private health insurance on their own. Since its inception in 1997, CHIP has reduced the number of uninsured children by almost a third – even as uninsured rates for adults increased steadily. No government program has been more successful in expanding coverage for children.

This fact sheet explains the importance of this program and outlines key improvements made to CHIP in 2009 on account of the legislations reauthorization.