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AMA, AAFP react to CHIP short-term funding reprieve

Congress approved a stopgap budget last night that includes $2.85 billion in funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program through March, Reuters reported. Funding for CHIP had run out about 3 months ago, and, according to AMA, the HHS was making emergency payments to keep the program running.

A report from the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families, released hours before the vote, indicated that without a long-term spending plan implemented for CHIP, millions of children could lose coverage. Healio reported previously on what steps health care providers can take during the financial uncertainty surrounding CHIP.

David O. Barbe, MD, AMA president, said in a statement the lack of a 5-year extension for a program that has bipartisan support and helps 9 million children get health care has the association confused.

“Given the broad support for CHIP in Congress, in the states, and across health care stakeholder groups, we are flummoxed about just what it takes for Washington to get the job done. Three full months after the program expired, the best Congress can come up with is another short-term extension for CHIP and other critical public health programs,” he said. “A piecemeal contingency plan is no way to run a vital program for the nation's children.”

Michael Munger, MD, AAFP president, said in a statement that CHIP, as well as other medical-related programs, must take top priority when lawmakers return to the nation's capital after the new year.

"... This [short-term extension] provides only a brief reprieve for the families who depend on CHIP, the under-insured and uninsured Americans, and the medical training programs that are vital to the future of our primary care physician workforce. Long-term reauthorization and support for all of these programs is an absolute necessity ..."

He added, "Teaching health centers and the [National Health Service Corps] scholarship and medical school loan repayment programs build the primary care physician workforce and bring medical care to Americans living in rural and underserved areas. Congress must return to Washington in January and immediately begin the work of passing funding legislation that ensures financial stability of all of these programs.”

The American College of Physicians (ACP) did not immediately issue a statement after last night’s vote. However, immediately following the passage of the tax reform bill earlier this week, ACP had implored Congress to reauthorize CHIP for at least 5 years without “ill-advised budget offsets that will harm other essential programs” such as Community Health Centers, National Health Service Corps and Prevention and Public Health Fund.

The Los Angeles Times reported that the spending plan approved yesterday provides funding until Jan. 19, 2018, unless a deal can be reached by then. Lawmakers are on recess until Jan. 3.

The short-term budget also includes funding for community health centers and the Indian Health Service. – by Janel Miller

Disclosure: Barbe is president of AMA. Munger is president of AAFP.