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September 5, 2024

Contact: Brian Reardon

Catholic Health Association Supports Back-to-School Medicaid and CHIP Enrollment

As the new school year begins with vaccination and physical exam requirements, health care is top-of-mind for many parents. For the countless families concerned with how to access these services for their children, Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) are crucial lifelines. The Catholic Health Association (CHA) encourages families to connect their kids with coverage by checking their Medicaid and CHIP enrollment eligibility.

These vital programs are key components of our nation's safety net and provide health care coverage for millions of children across the United States. Both Medicaid and CHIP offer a wide range of health care services, including preventive care, hospital visits, mental health services, prescription medications as well as dental and vision care. These essential programs help ensure children have the healthy foundation they need to succeed in school and in life.

Due to eligibility changes in the law and the process by states of unwinding Medicaid and CHIP, the eligibility for all 94 million people enrolled could be impacted with as many as 25 million Americans at risk of losing coverage. Hospitals are already seeing the effects of unwinding and evidence that more people are ending up without any health insurance.

Through the Protect What's Precious campaign, CHA continues to raise awareness with resources to check eligibility and enrollment status. Together with the committed dedication of our members and partners, these resources are helping patients and families who qualify enroll to secure coverage, and if needed, re-enroll to keep their coverage continuous.

Additionally, CHA advocates with policymakers for policies that ensure Medicaid and CHIP remain viable, efficient, and effective programs. CHA supports policy initiatives that include:

• The Medicaid and CHIP coverage provision recently enacted into federal law that ensures one year of continuous coverage for eligible children up to the age of 19.
• Improving the enrollment process by streamlining procedures to make it easier for families to access Medicaid and CHIP.
• Preserving Medicaid benefits by actively opposing harmful cuts to funding or policy changes that jeopardize coverage for millions of Americans.

We encourage families to take advantage of the resources available to verify their state Medicaid and CHIP enrollment status and the ability to enroll or re-enroll in CHIP year-round for free or low-cost coverage. When kids and teens have health insurance, they are more likely to do better academically, participate in the classroom, engage more with their teachers, and experience improved long-term health outcomes.

By working together, we can make a difference in the lives of our neighbors who rely on these safety net programs. Our goal is to help increase access to affordable health care for all children and families by providing support for the whole person – the physical, mental, and spiritual aspects of each patient – resulting in improved health outcomes and quality of life.

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The Catholic Health Association of the United States is the national leadership organization of the Catholic health ministry, representing the largest nonprofit provider of health care services in the nation.

• 1 in 7 patients in the U.S. is cared for in a Catholic hospital each day.
• Catholic health care, which includes more than 2,200 hospitals, nursing homes, long-term care facilities, systems, sponsors, and related organizations, serves the full continuum of health care across our nation.