Work continues to boost CHIP enrollment

WESLACO - Since the Texas Legislature restored some benefits under the Children's Health Insurance Program, Rio Grande Valley enrollment has surged, but the work isn't done, advocates said Wednesday.

Many local children who are eligible for CHIP or children's Medicaid still aren't enrolled, so more outreach efforts are needed, Luisa Saenz, executive director of the Children's Defense Fund of the Rio Grande Valley, said at a media briefing.

"We have about 8,000 more children to go (in Hidalgo County)," Saenz said.

According to the Children's Defense Fund, about 75,000 Valley children are eligible for CHIP or Medicaid but don't yet have coverage.

Valley enrollment in CHIP has increased by about 28 percent - from about 27,000 to nearly 35,000 children - since September 2007, when changes to the program went into effect. Those changes included eliminating a 90-day waiting period, increasing the enrollment period to one year and easing income limits, such as requiring families to include cars as part of their assets.

Prior to last fall, the region's CHIP enrollment steadily decreased over years, dropping by nearly half from 2003 to 2007.

Despite the gains, advocates can't become complacent, especially during a sluggish economy, Saenz said.

"Whatever economic times we're going through, our priority should always be children," she said.

The Children's Defense Fund is working with 11 school districts in Hidalgo County to identify and enroll eligible children in CHIP and Medicaid, said associate director Olga Gabriel.

In addition, the organization has begun a partnership with H-E-B, and the stores will hold enrollment fairs throughout August, said Julie Lara, H-E-B social-services program director.

Enrolling children in CHIP is a wise investment because the federal government more than matches every state dollar spent, said state Rep. Veronica Gonzales, D-McAllen. Also, preventive care, which children can obtain more easily when they have health insurance, is cheaper than trips to the emergency room for routine treatment, she said.

"If you have a healthy child, you have a child who can learn ... preventive care is the way to go," Gonzales said.