Medicaid entitlement for 57 - FY 2026 - T21

The Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services (formerly CMS) awarded the Virgin Islands Department of Health $17.12 million under the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Block Grant (CFDA 93.767) on October 1, 2025, with funding extending through September 30, 2027. This entitlement award enables the U.S. Virgin Islands to maintain and expand health insurance coverage to low-income, uninsured children and eligible pregnant women through a federal-state matching program. The Virgin Islands Department of Health's Federal Grants Coordination & Monitoring Division will administer the funds to support comprehensive child health assistance initiatives within the territory.

Under Title XXI authority, the Virgin Islands will deploy these resources to provide health care coverage and improve access to services for vulnerable children under 19 years of age. As a block grant entitlement, this award represents part of the broader CHIP program's mission to serve over seven million enrolled children nationally. The funds will flow through the Payment Management System and be distributed via electronic funds transfer to support the territory's CHIP operations, which may include a separate CHIP program, expanded Medicaid eligibility for children, or a combination thereof, consistent with the state's approved child health plan.