Congressman Charlie Dent (R-15th District) joined by Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett introduced new legislation at Penn State Milton Hershey Medical Center that would preserve Pennsylvania Children’s Health Insurance Program better known as CHIP. Currently, under the Affordable Care Act children at or below the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) must enter the Medicaid program before 2015. This requirement will impact approximately 30,000 families in PA. Dent’s bill would give states the option to continue serving eligible children through chip, indefinitely.
Congressman Dent says, “CHIP provides far better access to physicians, hospitals, and medical providers than does Medicaid. It’s that simple. This is a better program for the children, for the providers, doctors, it’s better for everyone.”
Governor Corbett says, “In my mind, no child should ever have to lose access to his or her doctor, particularly because of a one-size fits all plan coming from Washington.”
Governor Corbett took up CHIP’s standard earlier this year and was able to secure a one year extension from the Department of Health and Human Services.
Dent’s bill, if passed, would extend the program indefinitely.