Cook Childrens Health Plan
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
KNOWING THAT EVERY CHILD'S LIFE IS SACRED, OUR PROMISE IS TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF EVERY CHILD IN OUR REGION THROUGH THE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF ILLNESS, DISEASE, AND INJURY.
- Income
- $892.6 million
- Spending
- $878.3 million
- Spent on programs
- 97%
- Reserves
- 2.5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 99%
- Employees
- 381
- Volunteers
- 7
- Highest pay
- $3.3 million, ceo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 57 out of 100. Higher than 43% of charities in its peer group (health care, over $100m).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 2.5 months of spending.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 46% of what it owns.
Living within its means
12 of 15Income exceeded spending by 2% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 3% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1597% of spending went to programs.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 53% of charities in its peer group (health care, over $100m).
Independent board
25 of 256 of 11 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (1)
- $855.5 million spent. Cook Children's Health Plan (CCHP) Cook Children's Health Plan provides health care coverage to a vulnerable population that may not otherwise be able to access or afford care - low-income families who qualify for Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Members enrolled in CCHP are assured timely access to necessary medical care, including preventive services such as well-child visits, immunizations and prenatal/postpartum care. Cook Children's Health Plan's role is to manage and, in conjunction with Cook Children's and other network providers, deliver care to its members. Since it was established in 1999, the organization has successfully grown to a substantial operation, currently covering more than 120,000 members, primarily comprised of children and expectant and postpartum mothers. In addition to the nearly 2,900 providers in the Cook Children's Physician Network, members have access to approximately 1,400 additional primary care physicians, 240 OB-Gyns, 2,300 specialists, 680 behavioral health providers, and numerous hospitals, surgery centers and a variety of urgent care and clinic locations. This comprehensive network ensures access to quality health care providers for all CCHP members. Although Cook Children's Medical Center does not provide maternity services, pregnant members are closely cared for and monitored to avoid complications and premature deliveries. Texas expanded Medicaid coverage to 12 months postpartum in 2024 enabling CCHP to monitor and assist these members for a longer period of time. Cook Children's Medical Center is often the hospital of choice for members' newborns who require neonatal intensive care. Medicaid Renewal After spending much of 2023 preparing its renewal application for its Medicaid and CHIP contract with the State of Texas, CCHP learned in March 2024 that the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) intended to exclude CCHP and two additional large pediatric hospital-based health plans from the new Medicaid and CHIP Managed Care Contracts. The state's decision, the result of a flawed process, ignored Cook Children's 20+ year track record of success in administering these programs to local families. In response, Cook Children's formally protested that the scoring process lacked transparency, ignored legislatively mandated considerations and preferences, and put non-profit community plans at an unfair disadvantage. In June 2024, Cook Children's filed a lawsuit to stop HHSC from finalizing its procurement results. A webpage called Save Cook Children's Health Plan was created to keep CCHP members, network providers and the general public informed about the plight of member families who faced the prospect of starting over with new physicians, providers and therapists if CCHP were no longer available to them. A series of articles featured families worried about losing the relationships with their medical teams. In the midst of uncertainty CCHP worked to reassure its members that their coverage remains active until a final decision is made, they may continue seeing their current physicians and providers, and that their child's health is top priority. A Travis County court in October 2024 granted a temporary injunction preventing HHSC from awarding or implementing any new contracts for the Medicaid and CHIP managed care programs. HHSC has since agreed to postpone moving forward with the new awards until after the 89th Texas Legislature has had the opportunity to address the situation in Spring 2025. Collaboration and Prevention Partnership is key to CCHP's mission to help members achieve their optimal health. The Health Plan collaborates with numerous community agencies to address members' non-medical drivers of health. Food insecurity has become an increasing barrier to optimal health among CCHP's members. During FY24, CCHP screened 1,258 unique families of which 341 (27%) screened positive for food insecurity. Eligible CCHP families received Tangelo, a food benefits program, that makes it easier and more affordable to access healthy food. Tangelo distributed nearly 21,000 pounds of food to these families. Additionally, a partnership was established between CCHP, Cook Children's Center for Community Health and the Tarrant Area Food Bank to increase food access for families and support Medicaid, CHIP and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) application assistance through a mobile market. The mobile market served more than 2,800 families, distributed 298,987 pounds of food, and provided SNAP, Medicaid and other application assistance to families. National Accreditation The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) reaccredited CCHP in 2024. The NCQA's rigorous standards for health plans relate to key performance factors such as care coordination, availability of health-related resources, and member tools for self-management of chronic disease. The reaccreditation report gave CCHP high marks for member experience, follow-up care after hospitalization for mental illness, and support to members managing blood pressure with diabetes. Maternal Health Partnership Cook Children's joined more than a dozen other health care and community groups to form the Tarrant County Maternal & Infant Health Coalition dedicated to improving the area's relatively high rates of maternal mortality, especially high among Black women in the county, and infant mortality. The Coalition is working to identify maternal and infant health resources across the community and to improve awareness of these resources and facilitate timely access to them by Tarrant Area families. In conjunction with the work of the Coalition, two CCHP employees earned their doula credentials through the United Way of Tarrant County's Doula Training program, created in partnership with Cook Children's. The program aims to help pregnant women access information, resources and care for a healthy pregnancy and safe labor and delivery. CCHP's certified doulas work o
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending September 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since June 2004.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.