Studies have found that 12-month coverage reduced hospitalizations and the annual cost per child. 12 continuous months of eligibility would promote continuity of carefor children, easing recruitment and retention of doctors and other health care providers for Children’s health care. Children who are stably insured are more likely than others to have a regular health care provider, to have preventive care visits, and to receive needed care without delays.

“The never-ending application process has caused many children to fall out of the health care system,” said Green.  “It does not make sense for our children to lose their insurance and have to rely on other costly alternatives, when they are eligible for and should be enrolled in Medicaid or SCHIP.”

The Ensuring Continuous Coverage under SCHIP Act of 2009, or H.R. 2804, will require states to have annual renewals instead of twice a year.  Not only will this ensure continuous health coverage for children, but it will also reduce the burden of paperwork on the state, allowing for faster processing. 

The Texas Children's Health Plan has stated that medical costs per child decrease the longer children are on coverage and 12 month eligibility will lead to children maintaining a regular medical routine.  Twelve-month coverage has a powerful effect on total enrollment.

Cutting Texas CHIP coverage from 12 months to six months in 2003 primarily caused a 40 percent drop—more than 200,000 children—in CHIP enrollment. When the 2007 legislature eliminated that twice-yearly renewal requirement for CHIP, more than 118,000 additional children received coverage from March 2008 to August 2008—an average of more than 19,000 children every month—showing just how powerful a tool 12-month coverage is in covering eligible children.

“I have worked hard to expand SCHIP benefits for children across the country, and this is just one more step we can take to ensure our children receive the treatment they need to grow up with the best foundation possible,” said Green.

Additionally, H.R. 2805, the Ensuring Continuous Medicaid Coverage for Children Act of 2009, accomplishes the same goal for children covered under the Medicaid program.  Under a 12 month enrollment period, the Texas Health and Human Services Commission estimates that more than 376,000 additional children would be enrolled, covering more than 25 percent of Texas' uninsured children.

“We have an opportunity to cover 25 percent more children under Medicaid if this 12 month enrollment period was required across the country.  The American Recovery and Reinvestment act has already provided additional funds to pay for added staff and for 12 month coverage across the country,” said Green.

Expanding the Medicaid program would reduce avoidable hospitalizations to cut costs-per-child, improve access to well-child care to improve health and comply with federal court requirements, reduce real taxpayer costs by bringing back federal tax dollars to Texas, and further reduce workloads for Texas’ crisis-ridden eligibility system.