ANCHORAGE — The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has awarded $5,660,544 to Alaska as a “performance bonus” for streamlining and improving Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization (CHIPRA) processes.

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius awarded a total of $296 million to 23 states, including Alaska. “More children now have the advantages health coverage provides,” Sebelius said. “And parents now have the security of knowing their children can get the health care they need without worrying that an illness could leave them with a lifetime of medical bills.”

New data show 1.2 million more children nationwide have health insurance since the reauthorization of CHIP in 2009. To qualify for a bonus, two sets of performance goals had to be met by states: taking specific steps to streamline their enrollment and renewal processes to make it easier for families with eligible children to gain coverage; and documenting a significant increase in the number of children enrolled in Medicaid. Alaska met five of the eight enrollment simplifications for this year’s bonus.

“This is the third year the department has received the performance bonus under CHIPRA for streamlining and increasing enrollment of eligible children in Denali KidCare and Alaska Medicaid — bringing the cumulative bonus awards to more than $11,000,000,” said Barbara Hale, Children’s Health Insurance Program Administrator for the state.