Program Spotlight: WIC & CHIP

SaverLife member Tiffany often feels like she has to make tradeoffs between providing her family with nutritious food and reliable healthcare and ensuring that her other bills are paid on time. “Just eating healthier is so expensive,” she explains.

To make sure that her family has access to nutritious food and quality care, Tiffany takes advantage of local resources in her community. But there are additional ways that she could find support with her groceries and insurance.

If you’re looking for food assistance or children’s health insurance programs, WIC and CHIP are two good places to start. As federal and state-run programs, they offer nutrition assistance for pregnant women, nursing women, or women with kids, plus insurance options for children.

Learn more about the requirements and application process for WIC and CHIP below.

WIC

What does the program offer?

WIC, or Special Supplemental Nutrition for Women, Infants, and Children, is a program that offers nutritional support to women, infants, and children. This support includes:

• Supplemental foods
• Health care referrals
• Nutrition education

Individuals on WIC can receive monthly food boxes to help meet their nutritional goals. The program also provides breastfeeding support, immunization screening and referral services, and other nutritional services.

Who is eligible for the program?

There are four requirement categories that you must meet to qualify for WIC.

First, you must meet the residential requirement. Because WIC is administered at the state level, you have to apply for the program in the state where you live. If you live in an area where WIC is overseen by the Indian Tribal Organization, you will apply through this organization. 

Second, you must be in a category or group covered by the program. These groups include:

• Women
• Infants up to one year of age
• Children up to age 5 

Three categories of women are covered under this program. These three categories include women who are pregnant (during and up to 6 weeks after the birth of an infant or the pregnancy ends), postpartum (up to 6 months after the birth of an infant or the pregnancy ends), and nursing (up to one year after the birth of the infant). 

Third, you must satisfy the income requirements for the program. This means you have an income at or below the income level that the state sets. States are required to set income standards between 100% of the federal poverty line and 185% of the federal poverty line.

Fourth, you must be at nutritional risk. This means that a doctor, nurse, or health care professional determines that your current diet and nutrition are impacting your overall health. Before you schedule an appointment with a healthcare professional, check if your local WIC office offers nutritional risk evaluations. Often these are available at no cost to you.

One other thought to keep in mind: you may automatically qualify for WIC based on your eligibility and participation in other programs. If you’re eligible or have family members who are eligible for Medicaid, SNAP, or TANF (or they’re eligible for other state programs) you could qualify for WIC.

How do you apply? 

While WIC is a federal program, it’s overseen at the state level. This means that to apply for WIC, you’ll need to contact your state agency for more information. Each state agency will be able to tell you the specific requirements and application process for acquiring WIC benefits. 

You can find a full list of state agencies here. 

How do I maintain my eligibility? 

To maintain eligibility with the WIC program, you must continue to satisfy the four requirements. Your state will likely require you to provide documentation to prove your eligibility on an ongoing basis. To make sure you continue to qualify for WIC, keep the right documentation on hand so that when it’s time to reconfirm your eligibility, you can submit everything quickly and efficiently.

CHIP

What does the program offer?

CHIP, or Children’s Health Insurance Program, supports children who don’t qualify for Medicaid but whose families can’t afford private insurance. This means that CHIP helps families insure their children and provide reliable health care.

Who is eligible for the program?

The CHIP program is available for children whose families live on a low-to-moderate income. It’s also available to pregnant women who live on low-to-moderate income.

For a child to qualify for CHIP, their family must meet the income requirement. This requirement is set by the state and can range from 170% of the federal poverty line to 400% of the federal poverty line. The child must be under the age of 19, and their family must make too much money to qualify for Medicaid. The child must also be a U.S. resident or meet immigrant requirements. They’re also required to be a resident of the state where they’re applying for CHIP.

How do you apply? 

To apply for CHIP, you need to go through the agency in your state that runs the program. You can find the contacts for your state here. Each state will let you know the requirements needed and exactly how to apply.

How do I maintain my eligibility? 

For your child to maintain eligibility, you’ll need to keep track of your income and keep the agency up to date on your child’s age and residential status.