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SCHIP Funding And Reauthorization

Healthy Families and Access for Infants and Mothers Enrollment News:

MRMIB determines that it does not need to cap Healthy Families program enrollment nor institute disenrollments at annual eligibility review in 2008. It also is not capping enrollment in the Access for Infants and Mothers (AIM) program.

Federal funds pay for around two-thirds of the cost of California's Healthy Families and AIM programs. In 2007, federal State Children's Health Insurance Programs (SCHIP) funding was up for reauthorization by Congress and the President. They were unable to agree on a long term reauthorization. Finally, in December 29, 2007 -- three months into the 2008 federal fiscal year (FFY) -- Congress sent the President, and he signed, a bill extending SCHIP funding through March 31, 2009 and providing states projected to have a shortfall (California is a shortfall state) with funding above their FFY 2007 funding levels.

During the time of fiscal uncertainty, MRMIB considered whether there was a need to establish an enrollment cap or disenroll children in order to manage the program if states received flat-funding in FFY 2008. On November 5, 2007, MRMIB voted to adopt regulations that authorized establishing an enrollment cap and disenrolling children at annual eligibility review. However, the regulations require the Board to make a determination that such steps are needed to live within the budget.

With the enactment of federal legislation providing additional funding for shortfall states in FFY 2008, the Board has decided that it does not need to make such a determination. The level of available SCHIP funding is expected to meet California's needs through the end of the current FFY (September 30, 2008). The full level of funding for FFY 2009 is not known as the legislation provides funds for half of the year (through March 31, 2009).

The Healthy Families and Access for Infants and Mothers (AIM) programs are enrolling all eligible children and pregnant women and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.

To get future updates on SCHIP reauthorization, check the MRMIB homepage, www.mrmib.ca.gov, under "What's New".