"Crowd-out": what it means for children's health insurance.

As states finalize proposals for the federal Title XXI Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), consumers, advocates, legislators, and policymakers across the country are facing the issue of "crowd-out." How can they prevent CHIP's new public funds from "crowding out"--or supplanting--private funds now used to insure children? This issue of States of Health looks at research on crowd-out and reviews what some states have learned as a result of previous Medicaid expansions. Their experiences shed light on the challenge of making sure that Title XXI health care dollars reach the intended consumers, children who lack adequate insurance.