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State Senate Votes to Remove CHIP Waiting Period

The state Senate has voted to remove a waiting period that’s snarled enrollment in the commonwealth’s nationally recognized Children’s Health Insurance Program.
    
It would be eliminated as part of a bill to reauthorize CHIP through 2015.

Republican Sen. Don White of Indiana County says the waiting period has long been the source of complaints.  

"Under the current law, the people that are enrolled under the CHIP program over the age of two have to wait up to six months for the coverage to kick in," he said. "Well, what happens if something occurs during that six-month period?"

White said he hopes the move increases parents’ awareness of CHIP, since he noted many eligible children are not enrolled.

Gov. Tom Corbett made it clear he wanted the program reauthorized and the six-month waiting period eliminated.

House lawmakers expect the measure to get a quick vote of approval from their chamber to send it to the governor’s desk.