CHIP program expands by 2,000 in Valley

AUSTIN — More than 2,000 additional Rio Grande Valley youngsters are enrolled in the Children’s Health Insurance Program thanks to a law that relaxed eligibility rules.

Statewide, the CHIP program grew by more than 27,000 children in September, bringing the total enrollment to 327,379, according to data the Texas Health and Human Services Commission released Thursday.

“It’s a great satisfaction to see that the work is coming to fruition,” said Sister Maria T. Sanchez, a leader with Valley Interfaith, which pushed for changes to the program.

Most of the new participants would have been added to the rolls in October or November, but were able to join earlier because the state Legislature removed a 90-day waiting period, according to officials.

State Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, D-McAllen, said dropping the 90-day waiting period was a key part of the CHIP reform.

“When you need medical help, you can’t be waiting for an artificial date set by the government,” he said.

State figures show 27,122 Valley children are enrolled in CHIP, up from 25,117 in August.

CHIP is a federal-state program that allows families to buy health insurance for children for a low monthly premium. It is open to families that can’t afford private health insurance but that make too much to qualify for Medicaid.

At its peak in 2002, more than 500,000 Texas children were enrolled in CHIP, but the Legislature tightened eligibility rules in 2003 in the face of a $10 billion shortfall.

That caused the program to shrink.

This year, with more money in state accounts, lawmakers opened the door to more participants by doing away with the 90-day waiting period, making the enrollment period annual rather than every six months and allowing families to have slightly more expensive cars and still qualify.

The changes are expected to add another 100,000 children to the program.

Dr. Stanley Fisch, a Harlingen pediatrician, said the increase means more families will seek treatment in doctors’ offices, not emergency rooms.

He expects the number of CHIP patients in his practice, now between 10 and 12 percent, to increase in the coming year. Many families qualified for the program but could not keep up with the enrollment deadlines every six months, so their children’s health suffered, he said.

“When people don’t have any coverage, that certainly puts a damper on their willingness to seek out care,” he said.

State Sen. Eddie Lucio Jr., D-Brownsville, said he was glad to hear the new numbers, but wants to continue working to cover more children.

One legislative estimate found that about 700,000 children qualify for the program but are not enrolled.

At Brownsville Community Health Clinic, director Paula Gomez said employees are working with churches and community centers to encourage more families to sign up.

Outreach programs like hers are to thank, in part, for the increasing numbers, said state Rep. Aaron Peña, D-Edinburg, an author of the bill.

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Elizabeth Pierson Hernandez covers the state capital for Valley Freedom Newspapers. She is based in Austin and can be reached at (512) 323-0622. For this and more local stories, visit www.themonitor.com