March 5, 2002 - Proposed Rule Would Make Unborn Child Eligible for SCHIP

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services today issued a proposed regulation that would revise the definition of “child” under the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) to clarify that an unborn child may be considered a "targeted low-income child" by the State and therefore eligible for SCHIP if other applicable state eligibility requirements are met.

Under this definition, a state may elect to extend coverage to unborn children for health benefits coverage, including prenatal care and delivery.