Children's Health Insurance

Consumers may obtain health insurance from a variety of public and private sources, which can help protect them from the costs associated with obtaining medical care. Health insurance typically includes costs to consumers, which may vary for a number of factors, including scope of coverage, cost-sharing provisions, and federal or state requirements. Recent federal laws --specifically, PPACA and the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 (CHIPRA) -- further define coverage and cost parameters for certain health insurance plans available to consumers now and in 2014, when exchanges are required to be operational, and include provisions to increase children's access to coverage. This book provides a baseline comparison of coverage and costs to consumers in separate CHIP plans and benchmark plans in select states; describes how coverage and costs might change in 2014; and describes how access to care by CHIP children compares to other children nationwide.