Statement by HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra on the 24th Anniversary of the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)

The law establishing CHIP was signed by President Clinton on August 5, 1997

“I was proud to work on passing the bipartisan Children’s Health Insurance Program in Congress in 1997. For more than two decades, CHIP has been a lifeline for millions of children and families across America. Along with Medicare and Medicaid, CHIP has kept children and families out of poverty and continues to provide the peace of mind to parents who know their children have access to quality health care they need. President Biden’s Build Back Better plan will lead to transformational investments to make health care more accessible and affordable. At HHS, I will continue to strengthen CHIP and expand health coverage to all Americans and their families.”

During the COVID-19 pandemic, CHIP has played an outsized role as a source of coverage for children. Between February 2020 and February 2021, Child Medicaid and CHIP enrollment increased by 3.5 million, close to 10 percent. The latest data from February 2021, released by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, shows that more than 6.8 million individuals were enrolled in CHIP. For more information, visit: https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/program-information/medicaid-and-chip-enrollment-data/report-highlights/index.html.