CHIPPER Act
Bill: S.453 | Sponsor: Sen. Casey, Robert P., Jr. (D-PA)
Policy area: Health

Summary:
Children's Health Insurance Program Pandemic Enhancement and Relief Act or the CHIPPER Act
This bill extends through FY2022 the 11.5% increase to the enhanced federal matching rate, also known as the enhanced Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP), that is otherwise applicable under the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), subject to specified conditions. For example, in order to receive the increased FMAP in FY2021 and FY2022, a state must cover, without cost-sharing, testing and treatment for COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019), including vaccines, specialized equipment, and therapies.

To increase support for State Children's Health Insurance programs 
         during the COVID-19 emergency, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Children's Health Insurance Program 
Pandemic Enhancement and Relief Act'' or the ``CHIPPER Act''.

SEC. 2. INCREASING THE CHIP ENHANCED FMAP TO HELP STATES RESPOND TO THE 
              COVID-19 PANDEMIC.

    Section 2105(b) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1397ee(b)) is 
amended--
            (1) by striking ``For purposes of subsection (a),'' and 
        inserting the following:
            ``(1) In general.--For purposes of subsection (a),'';
            (2) in the second sentence--
                    (A) by inserting ``, subject to paragraph (2),'' 
                after ``23 percentage points, and''; and
                    (B) by striking ``September 30, 2020'' and 
                inserting ``September 30, 2022''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
            ``(2) Requirements.--During the period that begins on 
        October 1, 2020, and ends on September 30, 2022, a State shall 
        not receive the increase described in the second sentence of 
        paragraph (1) to the enhanced FMAP for such State, with respect 
        to a quarter that occurs during such period, if--
                    ``(A) the amount of any premium imposed by the 
                State under the State child health plan (or a waiver of 
                such plan) during such quarter, with respect to an 
                individual enrolled under such plan (or waiver), 
                exceeds the amount of such premium as of January 1, 
                2020;
                    ``(B) the State fails to provide that an individual 
                who is enrolled for benefits under such plan (or 
                waiver) as of the date of enactment of this paragraph 
                or enrolls for benefits under such plan (or waiver) 
                during the period beginning on such date of enactment 
                and ending on the last day of the month in which the 
                emergency period defined in paragraph (1)(B) of section 
                1135(g) ends shall be treated as eligible for such 
                benefits through the end of the month in which such 
                emergency period ends unless the individual requests a 
                voluntary termination of eligibility or the individual 
                ceases to be a resident of the State;
                    ``(C) the State does not provide coverage under 
                such plan (or waiver), without the imposition of cost 
                sharing, during such quarter for any testing services 
                and treatments for COVID-19, including vaccines, 
                specialized equipment, and therapies;
                    ``(D) the State imposes a waiting period under the 
                State child health plan prior to the provision of child 
                health assistance to a targeted low-income child; or
                    ``(E) the State fails to take active measures (as 
                determined by the Secretary) to identify and re-enroll 
                children who are eligible for child health assistance 
                under the State plan and who were previously enrolled 
                in such plan.''.
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