Prior to the government shutdown, the House of Representatives passed a continuing resolution (CR), which includes a provision to defund the Affordable Care Act. As part of that funding cut, the CR would slash funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).

CHIP flies under the radar in a lot of states. In 11 states and Washington, DC, it is part of the Medicaid program, and in many states, CHIP has a different name (some of them are especiallycreative). No matter what it’s called or how it’s run, CHIP is a vital program for keeping kids connected to health care coverage. In 2012 5.5 million children were enrolled in CHIP, ensuring children who would otherwise go without insurance receive high-quality care.

To learn more about CHIP’s history and structure, as well as the population of kids the program serves, click here!