US Medical Term · insurance
CHIP (Children's Health Insurance Program)
CHIP (Programa de Seguro de Salud para Niños)
What it means
The Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) is an insurance program that provides low-cost health coverage to children in families that earn too much money to qualify for Medicaid but not enough to buy private insurance. In some states, CHIP covers pregnant women. Each state offers CHIP coverage and works closely with its state Medicaid program, and each state program has its own rules about who qualifies. HealthCare.gov says a family can apply any time of year and that, if they qualify, coverage can begin immediately. CHIP benefits are different in each state, but all states provide comprehensive coverage, including routine check-ups, immunizations, doctor visits, prescriptions, dental and vision care, hospital care, laboratory and X-ray services, and emergency services. HealthCare.gov also describes CHIP as a joint federal and state insurance program.
CHIP (Children's Health Insurance Program) in Spanish
- Spanish term
- CHIP (Programa de Seguro de Salud para Niños)
- Gender and article
- masculine: el Programa de Seguro de Salud para Niños
- Pronunciation
- proh-GRAH-mah deh seh-GOO-roh deh sah-LOOD PAH-rah NEE-nyohs
| Other Spanish terms | Where it is used | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Programa de Seguro Médico para Niños | General | The name CuidadoDeSalud.gov prints, followed by '(CHIP)', as the heading of its glossary entry and on its program page; the headword's wording with 'de Salud' is not printed on the pages cited here. |
The headword words the program name as Programa de Seguro de Salud para Niños, a form that none of the pages cited here prints. CuidadoDeSalud.gov names it Programa de Seguro Médico para Niños (CHIP) in its glossary heading, and its program page adds CHIP, por sus siglas en inglés, keeping the abbreviation in its English form. The full name is masculine, el Programa. For the abbreviation, the program page writes la cobertura del CHIP in one sentence, while the glossary entry writes cobertura de CHIP and CHIP cubre without an article.
Words CuidadoDeSalud.gov uses with the program are cobertura médica a bajo costo (low-cost health coverage), calificar (to qualify), solicitud (application), agencia estatal (state agency), mujeres embarazadas (pregnant women) and inmunizaciones (immunizations). The program name Medicaid appears unchanged in the Spanish text, and the Marketplace is el Mercado. The glossary entry says a family can apply at any time: puede presentar una solicitud en cualquier momento.
Phrases for an appointment
What a patient or a clinician might say, in English and Spanish:
| Who | English | Spanish |
|---|---|---|
| Patient | My children need health coverage. Could they qualify for CHIP? | Mis hijos necesitan cobertura médica. ¿Podrían calificar para CHIP? |
| Clinician | Each state has its own rules about who qualifies for CHIP. | Cada estado tiene sus propias reglas sobre quién califica para CHIP. |
| Patient | We earn too much to qualify for Medicaid. | Ganamos demasiado para calificar para Medicaid. |
| Clinician | You can apply at any time of year. | Puede presentar su solicitud en cualquier momento del año. |
| Patient | Where do I fill out the application? | ¿Dónde lleno la solicitud? |
| Patient | Does CHIP cover dental and vision care? | ¿CHIP cubre el cuidado odontológico y oftalmológico? |
| Patient | I am pregnant. Does CHIP cover pregnant women in this state? | Estoy embarazada. ¿CHIP cubre a las mujeres embarazadas en este estado? |
| Clinician | Are your children covered by Medicaid or by CHIP? | ¿Sus hijos tienen cobertura de Medicaid o de CHIP? |
In 9 languages
| Language | Term |
|---|---|
| English | CHIP (Children's Health Insurance Program) |
| Spanish (Español) | CHIP (Programa de Seguro de Salud para Niños) |
| Chinese (中文) | 儿童健康保险计划 |
| Korean (한국어) | 아동 건강보험 프로그램 |
| Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt) | Chương trình bảo hiểm y tế trẻ em |
| Filipino (Tagalog) | CHIP |
| Portuguese (Português) | CHIP (Programa de Seguro de Saúde para Crianças) |
| Thai (ภาษาไทย) | โครงการประกันสุขภาพเด็ก |
| Japanese (日本語) | CHIP（子ども医療保険プログラム） |
Related terms
Your right to an interpreter in the United States
If English is not your primary language and you have difficulty communicating in English, you may need an interpreter or a translated document when you visit a doctor or dentist, go to the emergency room or pick up a prescription. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights states that two federal laws, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, require programs that receive its funding to provide language access services free of charge.
You can ask when you make the appointment or at the front desk: "I need an interpreter, please." «Necesito un intérprete, por favor.»
More terms: Insurance and billing
All terms in this area: Insurance and billing — Seguro médico y facturación
Related guide
→ US Guide: medicaid and chipSources
- Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) - Glossary — HealthCare.gov, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
- Programa de seguro médico para niños (CHIP) - Glosario — CuidadoDeSalud.gov, Centros de Servicios de Medicare y Medicaid (CMS)
- Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Eligibility Requirements — HealthCare.gov, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
- Requisitos de elegibilidad del Programa de seguro médico para niños (CHIP) — CuidadoDeSalud.gov, Centros de Servicios de Medicare y Medicaid (CMS)
- Limited English Proficiency (LEP): Your Right to Language Assistance Services — U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights
This page is a language reference. It is not medical advice.
Last reviewed: October 8, 2026