Gov. Jack Markell has signed into law two new bills he says will “make Delaware’s children healthier.”

House Bill 139 expands coverage under the state’s Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) for children of families with household incomes above 200% of the federal poverty level. Currently the program is available to only those with an income level less than 200%.

Jack Markell

The governor’s office estimates that 10% of Delaware’s children are uninsured, but only slightly more than half are eligible for CHIP and Medicaid coverage. About 9,000 uninsured children are in families earning more than 200% of the federal poverty level.

Under the new law, Delaware will create a “cover-all-kids” program, allowing parents to pay a monthly premium of $170 per child plus administrative costs, which will provide the same level of coverage the child would receive if enrolled in CHIP or Medicaid.

Markell’s office said that since parents will bear the cost of the program, the state will not see a cost to implement the program.

Rep. Teresa L. Schooley (D-Newark), a co-sponsor of the bill, called it “a wonderful opportunity for parents to have their children receive health insurance.”

“A lot of parents can’t get insurance for their kids because many major insurers don’t allow people to only cover their children,” Schooley said in a statement. “They often have to buy insurance for their entire family, which can cost more than $1,000 a month. With this new law, every child in the state would be able to be covered.”

Under House Bill 199, private health insurers are required to cover screenings for developmental delays in infants and toddlers.

The bill, recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Delaware Early Childhood Council, will provide early screenings felt essential to ensuring that children are diagnosed early and can access treatment as soon as possible.

The program will cost the policyholders of these screenings three cents a month, the governor’s office said.

“As we daily confront economic difficulties it is heartening to see that our Delaware policymakers have accomplished so much for children,” said George Meldrum, senior policy analyst with the Nemours Foundation, which treats hundreds of thousands of children each year. “With minimal expenditure, these bills provide key insurance benefits to Delaware children.”

Markell said during the signing presentation that he was “delighted” to enact laws “that will make Delaware’s children healthier.”

“These initiatives are creative ways to improve health care for children without increasing the costs to taxpayers,” the governor said.