Children’s Health Insurance Program Enacted; Four Million More Children Covered

President Obama signed the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) into law this afternoon.

CHIP 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, but under the new law, coverage will expand to include an additional four million uninsured children.

The bill will also provide coverage to pregnant women and immigrant children, who were previously required to wait until they lived in the U.S. for 5 years before receiving aid.

Wade Henderson, president and CEO of LCCR, said: “Quality health care is a civil right and assuring access to that care for everyone is a top priority for the civil rights community.  Illness and lack of insurance make it impossible for children and families to realize the American dream.”