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House of Representatives
Session of 2015 - 2016 Regular Session

MEMORANDUM

Posted:	October 7, 2015 09:19 AM
From:	Representative Tina Pickett
To:	All House members
Subject:	Moving the Children's Health Insurance Program to the Dept of Human Services

In the near future, I intend to introduce legislation to move the Pennsylvania Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) from the Pennsylvania Insurance Department (PID) to the Department of Human Services (DHS). As you may know, Pennsylvania’s Children’s Health Insurance Program is recognized as a national model. This legislation will continue this initiative to provide health care services for children as the Commonwealth strives to “Cover All Kids”. The program provides health insurance to uninsured children and teens that are not eligible for or enrolled in Medical Assistance This legislation does not change any current eligibility, benefits, or provider networks that provide services to the children through the CHIP program. The existing CHIP staff will continue to staff the program at DHS. Every month, as a family’s income situations change, thousands of Pennsylvania children move between CHIP and Medical Assistance. In January of 2015, there were more than 10,000 referrals between the two programs. By shifting the CHIP program from PID to DHS, one agency and IT system would manage eligibility determinations for each program. As CHIP’s administration is shifted to DHS, which has the administrative and information systems experience, children and families will benefit by streamlining the process to provide continuity of care and a cost savings for the Commonwealth. I hope you will join me in cosponsoring this important piece of legislation.

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