Waiver is a life-saver for parents on state health insurance

Minnesota leaders persuaded the federal government to renew a waiver that will allow the state's MinnesotaCare program to cover parents of children in the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). The waiver will allow about 18,000 low-income parents to maintain their MinnesotaCare coverage. Minnesota leaders argued that children in low-income families are more likely to get appropriate medical care when their parents also have insurance. Under the new decision, Medicaid will pay for coverage of parents rather than SCHIP.