Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP)

Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP)
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Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP)
A policy could be defined as a principle of action developed and implemented by an entity to promote project implementation development. In the U.S government, various policies offer guidelines for different departments and entities in the government. The children's department is a significant entity that requires ultimate concern and care. In the U.S. government, various policies are in place to offer sufficient care and protection for children. One of this study's policies is the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). This policy contains requirements for health coverage for eligible children. The program is funded by the federal government and states governments; thus, offering coverage through separate CHIP programs by the states and Medicaid. The policy was signed into law in 1997 as an option to cater for health coverage for children who do not qualify for Medicaid. Such children included those in families with high income not qualifying for Medicaid but cannot afford private coverage. According to Alker, Kenney, and Rosenbaum (2020), CHIP has enabled most states to provide children's health coverage up to 200% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL).
Children are held dear by every nation since they represent societal continuity and the hope for future improvements. Therefore, ensuring that a nation raises healthy children guarantees stability in the future. The introduction of the CHIP policy resulted from declining employer-sponsored health insurance for children. The government had to ensure that it raised healthy children since promoting children's health programs helps avert various problems such as increasing numbers of low-income earners. According to Alker, Kenney, and Rosenbaum (2020), the program brought various advantages in sharing responsibilities between the state and federal government and extending children's healthcare. Typically, the program led to an extended health coverage program for all children since they could receive health insurance. The federal government took the more significant responsibility in terms of cost. This policy decided that the federal government caters for 65%-81% of the costs compared to the 50%-73% range for Medicaid. This change of terms helped reduce the burden on state governments and ensure efficiency in delivering the program. Consequently, the state governments experience high flexibility in the utilization and allocation of the funds based on the needs of the society. State governments' flexibility lies in establishing different CHIP programs and utilizing funds to expand children's Medicaid.
CHIP is guided and supported by the HEALTHY KIDS Act, signed into law in 2010 to promote physical and nutritional health among schooling children in the U.S. This law provides the type of nutrition required for children from kindergarten to 12th grade and the types and duration of physical exercise. Focusing on such vital issues has helped promote children's health and improve their academic performances. A healthy nation is a wealthy nation; therefore, healthy children mean that the nation has the potential to be wealthy in...