House Approves Expansion of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program

On January 14, the U.S. House of Representatives voted (289-139) to reauthorize and expand the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) to cover an additional four million uninsured children.

SCHIP provides health insurance for low-income children from families who are not covered by private insurance and do not qualify for Medicaid. It currently helps states provide over seven million children with health insurance.

The House bill also extends coverage to legal immigrant children and pregnant women who have lived in the United States for less than five years.