Thanks Republicans!:
It’s about to cost Iowa a lot more to provide health insurance to 70,000 children from moderate-income families.
The state’s share of the cost for kids in the HAWK-I program is set to more than quintuple in the next two years, from $7 million to $37 million. Iowa legislators, who already face tight budgets, will have to find that money to keep the popular program going.
What caused this problem? Congress.
The future of HAWK-I and similar programs across the country was in doubt last winter, as Congress let the programs' federal funding lapse during a contentious attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act.
In January, after a brief federal shutdown, Congress agreed to extend the children’s health insurance programs for six more years. But Congress also decided to phase out extra federal financing for the programs, which had been included in the Affordable Care Act.
The result is that states will have to shoulder much more of the cost. Iowa’s share will jump from 5 percent this fiscal year to 13 percent next fiscal year and 24 percent the year after that, according to the Iowa Department of Human Services.
The national program started in 1997, with bipartisan support in Congress and from then-President Bill Clinton. The program, known nationally as CHIP, has helped slash the uninsured rate among U.S. children from 14 percent to just 4 percent. In Iowa, the current rate is about 3 percent.
The Child and Family Policy Center of Iowa, which tracks the issue, said the increased state costs were expected because of last January's Congressional action.
"There’s no doubt Iowa will feel that in its budget. Having said that, CHIP remains a good deal for the state — and a lifeline for families who make too much to be eligible for Medicaid, but too little to afford private insurance," said Anne Discher, executive director for the group.
Discher said federal law bans states from tightening their eligibility rules in response to the cut in federal money for the children's health insurance programs.
Under Iowa rules, a family of four may qualify for HAWK-I coverage for their children if the family's annual income is between about $42,000 and $76,000. Applicants must be residents of Iowa and either U.S. citizens or legal immigrants, and they must not be offered other types of health insurance.
Legislators also must find more state money to support the much larger Medicaid program, which is for poor and disabled Iowans. The state share of costs for that program is projected to climb from $1.374 billion this fiscal year to $1.476 billion two years from now.
Iowa's Medicaid program and the HAWK-I program are being run by national management companies.
https://www.press-citizen.com/story...rnment-kids-coverage-budget-state/2269577002/
It’s about to cost Iowa a lot more to provide health insurance to 70,000 children from moderate-income families.
The state’s share of the cost for kids in the HAWK-I program is set to more than quintuple in the next two years, from $7 million to $37 million. Iowa legislators, who already face tight budgets, will have to find that money to keep the popular program going.
What caused this problem? Congress.
The future of HAWK-I and similar programs across the country was in doubt last winter, as Congress let the programs' federal funding lapse during a contentious attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act.
In January, after a brief federal shutdown, Congress agreed to extend the children’s health insurance programs for six more years. But Congress also decided to phase out extra federal financing for the programs, which had been included in the Affordable Care Act.
The result is that states will have to shoulder much more of the cost. Iowa’s share will jump from 5 percent this fiscal year to 13 percent next fiscal year and 24 percent the year after that, according to the Iowa Department of Human Services.
The national program started in 1997, with bipartisan support in Congress and from then-President Bill Clinton. The program, known nationally as CHIP, has helped slash the uninsured rate among U.S. children from 14 percent to just 4 percent. In Iowa, the current rate is about 3 percent.
The Child and Family Policy Center of Iowa, which tracks the issue, said the increased state costs were expected because of last January's Congressional action.
"There’s no doubt Iowa will feel that in its budget. Having said that, CHIP remains a good deal for the state — and a lifeline for families who make too much to be eligible for Medicaid, but too little to afford private insurance," said Anne Discher, executive director for the group.
Discher said federal law bans states from tightening their eligibility rules in response to the cut in federal money for the children's health insurance programs.
Under Iowa rules, a family of four may qualify for HAWK-I coverage for their children if the family's annual income is between about $42,000 and $76,000. Applicants must be residents of Iowa and either U.S. citizens or legal immigrants, and they must not be offered other types of health insurance.
Legislators also must find more state money to support the much larger Medicaid program, which is for poor and disabled Iowans. The state share of costs for that program is projected to climb from $1.374 billion this fiscal year to $1.476 billion two years from now.
Iowa's Medicaid program and the HAWK-I program are being run by national management companies.
https://www.press-citizen.com/story...rnment-kids-coverage-budget-state/2269577002/
