PRIA Logo™
Title 42, The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-110

§1397aa Purpose; State Child Health Plans

Title 42 › CHAPTER 7 — SOCIAL SECURITY › SUBCHAPTER XXI — STATE CHILDREN’S HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM › § 1397aa

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

Gives money to states to start or expand health help for uninsured, low-income children. The help must work with other child health coverage. States must use the funds mainly to buy coverage that meets the requirements of section 1397cc, to provide benefits through the State Medicaid plan, or both. A state must send a plan to the Secretary under section 1397ff and get it approved. The federal government must pay the amounts under section 1397dd. No payments cover care before October 1, 1997.

Full Legal Text

Title 42, §1397aa

The Public Health and Welfare, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Purpose
Except with respect to the rural health transformation program established in section 1397ee(h) of this title, the purpose of this subchapter is to provide funds to States to enable them to initiate and expand the provision of child health assistance to uninsured, low-income children in an effective and efficient manner that is coordinated with other sources of health benefits coverage for children. Such assistance shall be provided primarily for obtaining health benefits coverage through—
(1)obtaining coverage that meets the requirements of section 1397cc of this title, or
(2)providing benefits under the State’s medicaid plan under subchapter XIX,
or a combination of both.
(b)State child health plan required
A State is not eligible for payment under subsection (a) or (g) of section 1397ee of this title unless the State has submitted to the Secretary under section 1397ff of this title a plan that—
(1)sets forth how the State intends to use the funds provided under this subchapter to provide child health assistance to needy children consistent with the provisions of this subchapter, and
(2)has been approved under section 1397ff of this title.
(c)State entitlement
This subchapter constitutes budget authority in advance of appropriations Acts and represents the obligation of the Federal Government to provide for the payment to States of amounts provided under section 1397dd of this title.
(d)Effective date
No State is eligible for payments under section 1397ee of this title for child health assistance for coverage provided for periods beginning before October 1, 1997.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2025—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 119–21, § 71401(b)(1)(A), substituted “Except with respect to the rural health transformation program established in section 1397ee(h) of this title, the purpose” for “The purpose” in introductory provisions. Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 119–21, § 71401(b)(1)(B), inserted “subsection (a) or (g) of” before “section 1397ee of this title” in introductory provisions.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Implementation Pub. L. 119–21, title VII, § 71401(c), July 4, 2025, 139 Stat. 332, provided that: “The Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services shall implement this section, including the

Amendments

made by this section [amending this section and section 1397ee and 1397ff of this title], by program instruction or other forms of program guidance.” References to SCHIP and State Children’s Health Insurance Program Pub. L. 106–113, div. B, § 1000(a)(6) [title VII, § 704], Nov. 29, 1999, 113 Stat. 1536, 1501A–402, which provided that, in official communications concerning this subchapter, the terms “SCHIP” and “State children’s health insurance program” were to be used instead of “CHIP” and “children’s health insurance program”, respectively, was repealed by Pub. L. 111–3, title VI, § 612, Feb. 4, 2009, 123 Stat. 101.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

42 U.S.C. § 1397aa

Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110