Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has announced that $70.9 million in grants have been awarded to 13 states in order to support the expansion of health care coverage for the state's uninsured populations.

According to HHS, these grants are funded under the new State Health Access Program (SHAP). SHAP is an outgrowth of HHS's former State Planning Grant program that operated from 2000-2007. The State Planning Grant program enabled many states in developing strategies to increase health insurance coverage for uninsured residents, as well as collecting and analyzing data of their uninsured populations and health care markets.

"These grants build on the success of the earlier program," said Secretary Sebelius in a news release. "They will help more states provide affordable insurance to specific uninsured groups, such as children and seniors. The funds will also assist states in implementing new initiatives for reaching the uninsured."

The grants will be distributed over a five-year period. They require a 20 percent match unless the state demonstrates financial hardship. The states must also demonstrate an ability to sustain the program after federal funding has expired. The HHS says the impact and results of state projects will be reported to Congress at the end of the grant period.

The competitive grants were awarded to:

Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing
Kansas Health Policy Authority
State of Maine / Governor's Office of Health Policy & Finance
Minnesota State Dept of Human Services
Nevada Department of Health and Human Services
Health Research Inc. / New York State Dept of Health
North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services
State of Oregon
Texas Health & Human Services Commission
Virginia State Department of Health
State of Washington
West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources
Wisconsin Department of Health Services

Adapted from a press release by HHS.

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