CHIP Eligibility & Benefits FAQ

For many families, it's free. However, even families with higher incomes can take advantage of quality insurance with low monthly premiums and co-pays for most services. View CHIP income guidelines.

The CHIP application requires that you provide information including income for everyone who lives with you and everyone who is expected to be included on your tax return, even if they do not live with you. CHIP has rules that determine who is included and those that are not included when determining eligibility. 

​Yes, the CHIP application requires that you provide information, including income, for everyone who lives with you as well as everyone who is expected to be included on your tax return even if they do not live with you. CHIP has rules that determine who is included and who is not included when determining eligibility. For example, your parent's income may be counted when determining eligibility for you and your child if you are claimed as a tax dependent on their tax return.

If there is a change in family income, you must report the changes.  You can report changes through your COMPASS account, the myCOMPASS PA mobile app, or by calling the CSC at 877-395-8930 or 215-560-7226 in Philadelphia.  You will need to verify the changes and request a re-evaluation based on your new income.   If it is found that your child is now eligible for free or lower cost CHIP, your child will be moved to that category effective the month following the requested re-evaluation.​

​Yes, tax deductions are taken into consideration when determining the household's adjusted gross income. These tax deductions are used to reduce the household's adjusted gross income based on IRS tax rules.​​

No, with very few exceptions.

Under federal law, a child eligible for or enrolled in a state-organized employee health care benefits plan is not eligible for CHIP if the state or public agency for whom the employee works pays even a small portion of the benefit or premium cost. The Affordable Care Act allowed Pennsylvania CHIP to extend eligibility to some families who meet a hardship exception such as, the employee is not eligible to receive family full coverage benefits or the employee works part-time and premiums and cost-sharing are more than 5% of the family's income during the year the child would be enrolled in CHIP.

A child of a state or public agency employee who has been receiving CHIP benefits but who is not eligible for CHIP may have their benefits retroactively terminated.

​Any child living in Pennsylvania can be enrolled if the child is:

• A Pennsylvania resident
• A United States citizen
• A permanent legal alien or a refugee (as determined by the US Immigration and Naturalization Services
  
• Not eligible for Medical Assistance and meets the CHIP income guidelines

​​Your child can remain on CHIP as long as he/she meets the eligibility requirements, up to age 19. Those enrolled in the program must renew CHIP on an annual basis to determine if they are still eligible.​​

​Yes! CHIP is for working families!

If you are under the age of 19, you can apply for CHIP for yourself as long as you meet the eligibility criteria. If your unborn child needs insurance, the child may qualify for CHIP once they are born. We encourage you to start the application process prior to birth as your baby may be eligible for CHIP or Medical Assistance.  If you have health insurance, including CHIP, your baby may be covered under your insurance policy for 31 days after the child is born.

​If your household income falls below CHIP income guidelines or if your child has one or more serious health conditions that require high-cost long-term care, your child will likely receive health insurance through Medical Assistance.

When you apply for CHIP or Medical Assistance, your application is sent to the appropriate program based on all available information and is subject to change if your income changes. You cannot choose one program over the other. However, if your income changes, you should provide documentation of that change to see if you qualify for a different program.

If you no longer qualify for Medical Assistance because you make too much money and you do not have any other health insurance, your county assistance office (CAO) caseworker will automatically review your case for CHIP. 

If you do not agree with this decision, contact the CSC at 1-877-395-8930 or 1-215-560-7226 in Philadelphia so that they can discuss their decision with you. After you talk to them, if you still do not agree with their decision, or if you choose not to call them to discuss the decision, you can complete the request for an appeal on the notice you received.  

​​The family income limit to qualify for Medical Assistance is higher for younger children than it is for older children. This is especially true for infants less than one year of age, but also may affect other children. It is not unusual for a child less than age one to be enrolled in Medical Assistance while older siblings are enrolled in CHIP. Also, children with a severe medical condition or disability may qualify for Medical Assistance over CHIP.

CHIP is a complete health insurance package for children and teens up to age 19. Benefits, like dental and prescriptions, cannot be purchased separately

​CHIP will cover medically necessary orthodontics for dental problems if a child is diagnosed with a significant handicapping malocclusion that interferes with speaking, eating or breathing. Coverage for orthodontics is subject to prior authorization from the child's CHIP health plan and is not for cosmetic purposes.​​

​Along with the other eligibility criteria, your children cannot be covered by any other insurance when you apply for CHIP. However, if your children are currently covered, but you are losing your health benefits in the near future, you may apply for CHIP. Be sure to note the end date of their insurance coverage on the application and apply prior to the loss of coverage to help prevent any break in insurance coverage.