As Lieutenant Governor in 1999, Governor Perry helped establish the Children’s Health Insurance Program to provide health insurance benefits for low-income children. Since then, Governor Perry has worked with legislators to ensure the program helps those most in need while maintaining accountability and responsibility to the taxpayers who fund it. Today, nearly 400,000 Texas children receive state-funded health coverage through CHIP.  The CHIP benefit package is comparable to many private insurance plans and covers services like regular health check-ups, immunizations, hospital care, surgery, x-rays, prescription drugs, emergency services, transplants, and mental health, vision, and dental services.

Texas faced an increasing number of children who were uninsured. Lack of health insurance coverage negatively impacts access to care for low-income children and can lead to poor health outcomes. CHIP provides an opportunity for Texas families to secure health insurance coverage for their children in order to access care.  However, a continuing challenge remains to ensure that all eligible children are enrolled in the CHIP program.

Governor Perry is committed to making sure families know about the health and medical benefits available through CHIP. The governor supported legislation to establish perinatal coverage under CHIP, which increased the number of infants who receive health care services before and after they are born.

Governor Perry also proclaimed October as “CHIP/Children’s Medicaid Awareness Month” to help more families learn about low or no-cost health coverage available to them.  The Texas Health and Human Services Commission, which administers CHIP and Children’s Medicaid, continues to enlist the help of community organizations, schools, churches, retailers, businesses and other government agencies to share information about the programs with low-income families.

The CHIP program provides affordable health insurance coverage to children in Texas.  As of December 2007, Texas families can make their CHIP enrollment fee payments with a credit or debit card through Texas Online.  Families also have the option of continuing to pay these fees using a check or money order.  Governor Perry is committed to ensuring that those most in need continue to receive assistance through the CHIP program.