Children's Health Insurance Program

The Pennsylvania's Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), brought to you by UPMC for Kids, is a state and federally funded program that provides health insurance for eligible uninsured children and teens.

Pennsylvania Governor Edward G. Rendell has made CHIP available to all uninsured children and teens (up to age 19) through his Cover All Kids initiative. Regardless of family income, every uninsured child and teen who is not eligible for Medical Assistance can now have comprehensive health insurance. It's the same great program, now available to all families with uninsured children and teens. Many families will not have to pay for CHIP. Under the expanded CHIP program, families with higher income will have low monthly premiums and copayments for some services.

Many services are covered to help keep your children and teens well and if they get sick or injured. These include preventive visits to the doctor, emergency room care, hospital admissions, prescriptions, and dental and vision services. Based on a family's income, copayments may be required for some services.

As a UPMC for Kids CHIP member, children have access to our large network of world-class doctors and hospitals. Along with the comprehensive CHIP benefits, we provide other health and wellness services that can help families have a healthy lifestyle. Please see the information on our site that tells you more about the other services that UPMC for Kids provides to CHIP members.

Applying for CHIP is easy, and we can help you! Call us at 1-800-978-8762 to apply over the phone or to request a paper application, or you can print an application from our site. TTY users, please call 1-800-361-2629.

You can also complete an application online via COMPASS, Pennsylvania's fast and easy way to apply for health and human services, at www.compass.state.pa.us.

If you have questions about the CHIP program, you can visit the state's website at www.chipcoverspakids.com or call the CHIP Helpline at 1-800-986-KIDS.