Is it possible to quantify what percentage of the FPL marks the SCHIP crowd-out tipping point?
In most states, SCHIP covers 150% to 200% of the FPL. Some states go up to 250%, and a few even as high as 300%. It is hard to index these levels to some kind of crowd-out threshold. Many employers offer single coverage or family coverage. A single working parent in that 150% to 200% range may choose single coverage instead of family coverage and have children covered through the state program. That is one kind of crowd out. Still, the statistics indicate that we have a smaller percentage of children uninsured. While it is possible that expanding SCHIP eligibility to slightly higher income levels may result in some children who are currently insured dropping that coverage to move to SCHIP, it may be a question of weighing the greater good if the expansion results in significantly fewer uninsured children overall.Q: How can states deal with crowd out? A: Illinois recently adopted its “All Kids” program, which is a health insurance program available to all children in the state. The prog
