News

Children's Healthcare Insurance Program (CHIP) Update

On January 22, 2018, President Donald Trump signed a short term government funding bill, which had as one of its provisions reauthorization of the CHIP program through fiscal year 2023.

The Children's Healthcare Insurance Program (CHIP) is a program created in 1997 to fund healthcare for children whose families are not eligible for Medicaid and lack access to affordable private insurance. Nearly 9 million children across the country are enrolled in CHIP. In September 2015, an extension of the program was authorized until September 30, 2017 by a bipartisan vote. But, in this past fall, Congress did not take action to extend funding in time, and the authorization expired. At that time, the AAOS and POSNA combined forces. A letter drafted by the POSNA Advocacy Committee, and signed by leadership of POSNA, AAOS, AAP and SRS was delivered to the congressional leadership (Senators Mitch McConnell and Chuck Schumer, Congresspersons Paul Ryan and Nancy Pelosi), advocating for reauthorization of the program. Also, with considerable logistical support from the AAOS, POSNA launched a grassroot campaign, where members could sign onto a website, automatically contacting their senators and representatives with a letter in support of CHIP.

On January 22, 2018, President Donald Trump signed a short term government funding bill, which had as one of its provisions reauthorization of the CHIP program through fiscal year 2023. This was done without any significant changes to the program, issues that had made prior negotiations difficult. The Congressional Budget Office assessment is that the 6 year extension will save money in the long term.

The POSNA leadership would like to thank its membership for their involvement in the process, particularly the many members who participated in the grass roots effort. We feel that the combined voice of POSNA members had a profound effect on energizing the process, and we are proud of our organization's history of advocating for our patients.