WASHINGTON — A popular program that provides health insurance for 8.9 million low-income children would get five more years of funding under legislation Republicans plan to push through a House committee this week. The measure comes days after federal funding for the program expired.
Though no states are expected to immediately run out of money, some are preparing initial steps to wind down their programs amid uncertainty over what Congress will do. Some states have laws that require them to reduce coverage if federal money starts to decrease, and officials say they need time to notify recipients of possible coverage changes and reshape their programs.
Federal financing for the Children’s Health Insurance Program expired over the weekend, when the government’s 2017 fiscal year ended. Both parties favor continuing the federal-state program, but Democrats were opposing cuts in other health spending that Republicans have proposed to help pay for the extension.
