To: The United States House of Representatives and The United States Senate
Tell Congress: Don’t gamble with our kids’ health!
It’s time for Congress to put children and families first. Please act quickly to fully fund and extend CHIP for 5 years.
Why is this important?
It’s been over 100 days since the GOP leadership in Congress let the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) expire. With short-term patches and some creative budgeting, they’ve managed to limp funding along, but the time is up and the health and well-being of our children is at stake.
Leaders from both sides of the aisle have agreed to a full 5 year extension of CHIP. They just have to stop playing partisan politics with children’s health and pass it! On January 19th, Congress will vote on a new spending bill and it must include long-term funding for this critical program. Children’s health can’t afford to wait; and short-term funding patches don’t cut it when it comes to providing reliable health coverage for children and pregnant women. The uncertainty this creates is inexcusable and puts the health and well-being of women and children at risk. Some states have already begun notifying families that their coverage could end. Moreover, states are not able to plan their budgets with funding still uncertain for CHIP.
States can’t rely on limited patchwork funding and families can’t afford to go without coverage for their kids.
Leaders from both sides of the aisle have agreed to a full 5 year extension of CHIP. They just have to stop playing partisan politics with children’s health and pass it! On January 19th, Congress will vote on a new spending bill and it must include long-term funding for this critical program. Children’s health can’t afford to wait; and short-term funding patches don’t cut it when it comes to providing reliable health coverage for children and pregnant women. The uncertainty this creates is inexcusable and puts the health and well-being of women and children at risk. Some states have already begun notifying families that their coverage could end. Moreover, states are not able to plan their budgets with funding still uncertain for CHIP.
States can’t rely on limited patchwork funding and families can’t afford to go without coverage for their kids.