The Georgia Board of Community Health on Thursday voted unanimously to lift an enrollment freeze on PeachCare, the state's version of SCHIP, on July 12 that could allow more than 20,000 children to enroll in the program, the Savannah Morning News reports. The enrollment freeze was started in March because of a program funding shortfall.

On Thursday, the board gave preliminary approval to re-open enrollment and limit the number of children enrolled in the program to 295,000. As of the beginning of June, about 274,000 children were enrolled in the program, according to state Community Health Commissioner Rhonda Medows. The state has kept 16,000 applications for coverage since the freeze took effect. According to Medows, the board also said it will allow children to be added to the program as others leave (Savannah Morning News, 6/15).

The state will reassess its financial situation Sept. 30, when SCHIP expires and must be reauthorized by Congress, and decide whether enrollment can exceed 295,000 children. Medows said the program has been operating on an emergency appropriation from the General Assembly and will be unable to pay bills after the end of September unless Congress reauthorizes SCHIP. If Congress fails to renew the program, PeachCare will be suspended, Medows said (Hendrick, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 6/14).