Mom Charissa West says she doesn’t know what her family would do without CHIP coverage for her daughter, Emma.
“My daughter has had excellent health coverage through CHIP since she was born in 2008.
Her father is not allowed to put family members on his insurance and it's too expensive for him to use. I work for start-ups and as an independent contractor most of the time, so I don't have insurance that I can put her on. CHIP coverage has been crucial for us.
My daughter has broken the growth plate in her thumb and sprained her ankle, and all the doctor visits and physical therapy were covered by CHIP. Some years we have premiums and some years we don't, but all of it has helped us get her the care that she needs.
This year, she is doing swimming, horseback riding, and basketball (along with piano, violin and clarinet) and it will be important to have health coverage for her if she gets injured. Also, being in elementary school, there is always something going around and we need to be able to take her to her doctor if she is unwell. We cannot afford a $120 doctor visit bill in full, but we can afford a $10-20 copay.