Medicaid is the largest publicly funded health financing program in the United States, providing insurance to roughly 63 million low-income people. The Affordable Care Act expanded Medicaid eligibility beginning in 2014, but the Supreme Court ruled in 2012 that the expansion is optional for states. Read more

CHIP provides health insurance coverage for children in families whose incomes are too high to qualify for Medicaid, but who lack access to affordable private coverage. The program was established in 1997 and originally called the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). Though CHIP is optional, all states expanded coverage under the program, with an estimated 8 million children enrolled at some point in fiscal year 2011. Read more