CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- An additional 700 West Virginia children are expected to receive health insurance over the next four years under a plan approved Thursday.

The state Children's Health Insurance Program board voted unanimously to expand health care coverage for kids, proposing to open the program to families earning up to 250 percent of the federal poverty level, or about $53,000 for a family of four.

"This needed to be done," said Delegate Bobbie Hatfield, D-Kanawha. "It's an outreach to more children. If we can get kids health care, we're going to have a healthier adult population." 

About 24,400 low- and moderate-income children across the state now receive health insurance through CHIP. Enrollment has steadily decreased in recent months.

The expansion is expected to cost the state about $100,000 a year, with the federal government paying another $400,000 a year.

"It's a modest investment by the state for a significant benefit to children," said Perry Bryant, executive director of West Virginians for Affordable Health Care, a group that has pushed for CHIP's expansion this year. "This has a positive development over their whole life."

The CHIP board plans to submit its expansion proposal to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in September. If approved, the change would take effect Jan. 1. 

CHIP helps children whose families earn too much to qualify for Medicaid, yet can't afford private health insurance.

"This is about making health care available to more West Virginia children who otherwise might fall through the cracks, and doing so within our financial ability," said Gov. Joe Manchin in a prepared statement.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- An additional 700 West Virginia children are expected to receive health insurance over the next four years under a plan approved Thursday.

The state Children's Health Insurance Program board voted unanimously to expand health care coverage for kids, proposing to open the program to families earning up to 250 percent of the federal poverty level, or about $53,000 for a family of four.

"This needed to be done," said Delegate Bobbie Hatfield, D-Kanawha. "It's an outreach to more children. If we can get kids health care, we're going to have a healthier adult population." 

About 24,400 low- and moderate-income children across the state now receive health insurance through CHIP. Enrollment has steadily decreased in recent months.

The expansion is expected to cost the state about $100,000 a year, with the federal government paying another $400,000 a year.

"It's a modest investment by the state for a significant benefit to children," said Perry Bryant, executive director of West Virginians for Affordable Health Care, a group that has pushed for CHIP's expansion this year. "This has a positive development over their whole life."

The CHIP board plans to submit its expansion proposal to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in September. If approved, the change would take effect Jan. 1. 

CHIP helps children whose families earn too much to qualify for Medicaid, yet can't afford private health insurance.

"This is about making health care available to more West Virginia children who otherwise might fall through the cracks, and doing so within our financial ability," said Gov. Joe Manchin in a prepared statement.

Manchin backed the expansion and pushed the CHIP board to file the request with the federal government.

CHIP is now offered to children whose families earn up to 220 percent of the federal poverty level, or about $46,600 for a family of four.

West Virginia would become only one of about a half dozen states to expand its program to the 250-percent poverty level, said Sharon Carte, CHIP's executive director.

About 19,000 West Virginia children don't have health insurance.

"We still know there's a percentage of families with children out there who can't access affordable coverage," Carte said.

A previous CHIP expansion, which took effect in January 2007, also is expected to add 700 children over the next four years. So both expansions should increase total enrollment by 1,400, according to the agency's quarterly report.

Families who qualify under the higher earnings limits must pay monthly premiums of $35 for a single child or $71 a month for two or more children. Coverage begins a month after the first payment. Families also must make co-pays for certain medical services under the program.

Reach Eric Eyre at erice...@wvgazette.com or 348-4869.