CHIP Program Changes Go Into Effect

September 30, 2020

A smooth transition is expected for healthcare providers and clients of the Wyoming Children’s Health Insurance Program, known as Kid Care CHIP, as the Wyoming Department of Health (WDH) assumes direct administration of the program.

Kid Care CHIP operations have been incorporated into the procedures the department uses to manage Wyoming Medicaid. More than 3,300 children are currently enrolled in the program, which is supported by a combination of state and federal funds.

“Overall we expect a smooth transition for both our Kid Care CHIP providers and for the program’s clients,” said Teri Green, Division of Healthcare Financing senior administrator with WDH.

“While most Kid Care CHIP healthcare providers are also providers under Wyoming Medicaid, any provider who is not currently enrolled with our Medicaid program needs to do so as soon as possible,” Green said. “This will allow them to continue serving their Kid Care CHIP clients without a concern regarding payment issues.”

Program changes that will affect providers include different reimbursement rates and billing processes that will match those offered by Wyoming Medicaid.

Existing CHIP clients should have received new program cards and do not need to take any action to maintain coverage.

“Our clients should also notice lower copays and more covered services over time,” Green said.

A reduction in overall program costs is expected due to the administration change.

WDH had been contracting with a private insurance company to administer the program in Wyoming for many years. No private insurance or managed care companies responded to a request for program proposals distributed by WDH earlier this year, and the contract for the existing vendor has expired.

Wyoming Medicaid is a joint federal and state government program that pays for medical care for some low-income and medically needy individuals and families. CHIP provides low-cost health coverage to children in families who earn too much money to qualify for Medicaid, but have incomes of less than 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Level.

More information on the Kid Care CHIP program may be found at https://health.wyo.gov/healthcarefin/chip/.

Families interested in applying for either Kid Care CHIP or Wyoming Medicaid use the same process, which may be found online at https://health.wyo.gov/healthcarefin/apply/.