Democrats Ask HHS Secretary To Lift CMS Limits On SCHIP, Medicaid

Cap or not cap on SCHIP? BD

According to the lawmakers, CMS has no authority to enforce an August 2007 directive prohibiting states from extending SCHIP coverage to children from families earning above 250% of the federal poverty level unless states can first show that 95% of eligible children below 200% of the federal poverty level are enrolled in the program. The letter added that CMS should not enforce an apparent extension of the SCHIP policy to Medicaid. In December, CMS told Ohio officials that the state would not be allowed to cover low-income children in families earning up to 300% of the federal poverty level.