This report examines the impact of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (S-CHIP) and what can be done to improve its effectiveness. The authors use data to back up five points: States have done well using the program’s flexibility; funds are plentiful to date, but may run short; rates of uninsured children have declined; S-CHIP and Medicaid could cover most uninsured children; and further improvements are needed in both programs. The report notes that S-CHIP may face a severe financial crunch because of the economic downturn. 12 pages. Free online. The Urban Institute, 2100 M St., NW, Washington, DC 20037. (877) 847-7377, www.urban.org, do keyword search for “schip and five.”
– Mary Tess Driver, Della Mosley, Andrew Beadle, Patrick Boyle
