Feds reject Ohio's SCHIP expansion

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has denied the Ohio's request to expand eligibility in the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) to uninsured children in families earning up to 300% of the federal poverty level. (Source: "Feds block health plan," Columbus Dispatch, Dec. 22, 2007.) That expansion would have meant families of three earning $51,510 a year would have been eligible. Currently, families with incomes up to 200% of the poverty level qualify for SCHIP in Ohio, which provides health care coverage to 143,000 of the state's children. The expansion was expected to add 20,000 more children to this number.

CMS's approval was required because the federal government pays 60 to 70% of the cost of the SCHIP program. Under new regulations issues by CMS in 2007, before states can expand SCHIP eligibility beyond 250% of poverty they must get at least 95% of children in families with incomes below 200% of the poverty level enrolled in the program. No state currently meets that benchmark.

Both Democratic and Republican leaders in Ohio said they were disappointed in the ruling. Gov. Strickland said Ohio will now apply to cover children up to 250 percent of the poverty level, which is projected to boost enrollment in SCHIP by 10,671 children. The governor has also previously stated he would file suit against the federal government is Ohio's SCHIP expansion was denied.