Wyoming CHIP: Children's Health Insurance Program
Updated August 2026
Kid Care CHIP covers children who have not had their 19th birthday, whose family income falls above the Wyoming Medicaid threshold for children but at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level. A family of four can earn up to $53,000/year and still qualify. Per Wyoming WDH, the program is intended for children and teens who are not eligible for Medicaid.
200%
FPL income limit
Kid Care CHIP
Program name
Free
Preventive care and dental (no cost)
Kid Care CHIP covers Wyoming children up to 200% FPL — apply through the WES online portal
Kid Care CHIP provides health coverage for children of Wyoming working families who earn too much for Medicaid but cannot afford private insurance. A single application screens for both Wyoming Medicaid and Kid Care CHIP.
Who qualifies for Wyoming Kid Care CHIP
Source: Wyoming Department of Health "Does My Child Qualify?" page (health.wyo.gov/healthcarefin/chip/doesmychildqualify). Call 1-855-294-2127 for current income limits, which change annually.
- Child must be under age 19
- Must be a Wyoming resident
- Must be a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident who has lived in the U.S. for at least 5 years
- Family income above the Medicaid threshold but at or below 200% FPL
- Child must not have had other health insurance for the past 30 days or longer (some exceptions apply)
- Child must not be eligible for Medicaid
- Children of state, Natrona County School District, University of Wyoming, or Wyoming community college employees who are eligible for the Wyoming Employees' Group Insurance are not eligible for Kid Care CHIP
| Household size | Monthly income limit |
|---|---|
| 1 | $2,609 |
| 2 | $3,525 |
| 3 | $4,442 |
| 4 | $5,359 |
| 5 | $6,275 |
| 6 | $7,192 |
| 7 | $8,109 |
| 8 | $9,025 |
| Each additional person | add $917 |
1
- Monthly income limit
- $2,609
2
- Monthly income limit
- $3,525
3
- Monthly income limit
- $4,442
4
- Monthly income limit
- $5,359
5
- Monthly income limit
- $6,275
6
- Monthly income limit
- $7,192
7
- Monthly income limit
- $8,109
8
- Monthly income limit
- $9,025
Each additional person
- Monthly income limit
- add $917
Kid Care CHIP benefits in Wyoming
Wyoming Kid Care CHIP provides comprehensive health coverage including free preventive care and dental. Other services are available for small co-pays. Per WDH, "the program provides free preventive dental and health care. Other health services are available for a small co-pay."
- Preventive care — well-child visits, immunizations (free)
- Preventive dental care (free)
- Doctor visits (small co-pay may apply)
- Specialist referrals
- Emergency and urgent care
- Inpatient hospital care
- Prescription drugs
- Mental health and substance use treatment
- Vision care
- Physical, occupational, and speech therapy
Federal CHIP rules cap annual family cost-sharing at 5% of family income. Co-pays are small and capped. Wyoming WDH's Member Handbook for Children (available at health.wyo.gov) details the benefits and cost-sharing applicable to CHIP enrollees.
Wyoming Kid Care CHIP compared to other states
At 200% FPL, Wyoming's Kid Care CHIP ceiling is lower than most states' combined Medicaid-plus-CHIP coverage for children. Many expansion states cover children through Medicaid to 200–300% FPL before CHIP even kicks in. Wyoming covers children at Medicaid rates up to 154% FPL (for younger children), then extends coverage through CHIP to 200% FPL — a combined ceiling lower than what most expansion states provide.
Children in Wyoming families earning above 200% FPL can access subsidized private health insurance through the federal marketplace at healthcare.gov. Premium tax credits are available for household incomes from 100% to 400%+ FPL. For families with CHIP-ineligible children, the marketplace is the primary coverage option.
What CHIP is
CHIP — the Children's Health Insurance Program — is a federal-state partnership that covers children in families whose income is too high for Medicaid but too low to afford private insurance. Congress created CHIP in 1997 under Title XXI of the Social Security Act. Like Medicaid, CHIP is jointly funded by the federal government and each state, and each state administers its own program.
CHIP serves children up to age 19 (some states cover to 21 for children in foster care). It is not available to adults — CHIP is specifically designed to address the coverage gap for children in working families.
Nationally, CHIP covers approximately 7 million children, according to CMS data. In most states, it is a seamless part of the broader children's health coverage system alongside Medicaid.
How to apply for Wyoming Kid Care CHIP
Apply at wesystem.wyo.gov or call 1-855-294-2127. If you're not sure whether your child qualifies for Medicaid or CHIP, apply anyway — the eligibility system determines which program applies based on your income.
Wyoming Medicaid
- Apply for Wyoming Medicaid and Kid Care CHIP: wesystem.wyo.gov
- Kid Care CHIP phone line: 1-855-294-2127
- Wyoming Department of Health: health.wyo.gov/healthcarefin/medicaid
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