Does CHIP have a waiting list?
No. There is no waiting list to enroll in CHIP. Why is there a six-month period of going without insurance for the low-cost and at-cost CHIP programs, but not the free CHIP program? We cannot afford our private coverage, do we have to wait to get CHIP? We understand the hardship and uncertainty this may create for families in need; however, this period of going without insurance is written into law so that employers and or consumers would not drop private health coverage to enroll in a public program. It cannot be waived. All new applicants who are found eligible for low cost or full cost CHIP (but not free CHIP) must show that their child has been uninsured for six months unless: the child is under age two; the child has lost health benefits because a parent lost their job; or the child is moving from another public health insurance program.
