Protect Children's Health: Save CHIP!
Are you a parent, or do you plan on having kids one day? If so, wouldn't you want to make sure they have the security that quality health care coverage provides?
A vital investment in children's health could be on the chopping block if Congress fails to act fast. Right now, millions of children get their health care through the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), but if Congress fails to act soon, federal CHIP funding will end.
And because CHIP is a state-federal partnership, state budget officials must make decisions about the future of their states' CHIP coverage well in advance of the federal deadline.
For nearly two decades, CHIP has been an essential source of coverage for families, ensuring access to health care for children in working families whose parents earn too much to qualify for Medicaid but too little to purchase private health insurance. The program has played a critical role in reducing the number of uninsured children by more than 50 percent while improving health outcomes and access to care for children and pregnant women across the nation.
We can't let Congress leave these children high and dry. Send a message to your representative today urging them to take action and renew CHIP funding this year!
And because CHIP is a state-federal partnership, state budget officials must make decisions about the future of their states' CHIP coverage well in advance of the federal deadline.
For nearly two decades, CHIP has been an essential source of coverage for families, ensuring access to health care for children in working families whose parents earn too much to qualify for Medicaid but too little to purchase private health insurance. The program has played a critical role in reducing the number of uninsured children by more than 50 percent while improving health outcomes and access to care for children and pregnant women across the nation.
We can't let Congress leave these children high and dry. Send a message to your representative today urging them to take action and renew CHIP funding this year!
Dear [Representative],
I am writing to urge you to take action in the upcoming lame duck session to provide continued funding for the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Specifically, I urge you to include a four-year CHIP funding extension in the next legislative vehicle that is moving at the end of this session. Congress must act this year to stabilize the CHIP funding stream to ensure that states can continue to operate their programs without interruption. Health coverage for millions of children could be disrupted if CHIP's future is not secured.
[Your comment will be added here]
For nearly two decades, CHIP has been an essential source of coverage for families, ensuring access to high- quality, affordable, pediatric-appropriate health care for children in working families whose parents earn too much to qualify for Medicaid but too little to purchase private health insurance. It is a model program that has played a critical role in reducing the number of uninsured children by more than 50 percent while improving health outcomes and access to care for children and pregnant women across the nation.
If Congress fails to act now, the 10.2 million children estimated to be enrolled in CHIP in FY 2015 will be at risk of having their health coverage disrupted. It is worth noting that millions of the children who stand to lose CHIP would have no other coverage option available to them. The resulting increase in the rate of uninsurance would be an enormous step backwards for children in every state.
CHIP has strong bipartisan roots and was developed as a state-federal partnership that gives governors broad flexibility to design their programs to target the needs of their child populations. CHIP's uncertain future is a significant problem for states as they are already developing their FY 2016 budgets and negotiating contracts with insurers and providers. In order for states to continue their programs without interruption, they must know that that federal support for CHIP will exist beyond FY 2015. If funding is not stabilized, states will have no choice but to begin planning for the impending funding shortfall, which will require drastic program cuts through enrollment caps, benefit reductions, reductions in eligibility, or provider payments cuts. At a time when children's coverage rates have hit record highs - with 93 percent of our children enrolled in some type of health coverage - it would be devastating for children if states prepare to dismantle their CHIP programs.
Congress must not gamble with our children's future. Action on CHIP is needed as soon as possible. I urge you to include four years of CHIP funding among the must-pass legislation for the lame duck session so that families and states alike can be assured their children's coverage will be protected.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
Sign PetitionSign PetitionI am writing to urge you to take action in the upcoming lame duck session to provide continued funding for the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Specifically, I urge you to include a four-year CHIP funding extension in the next legislative vehicle that is moving at the end of this session. Congress must act this year to stabilize the CHIP funding stream to ensure that states can continue to operate their programs without interruption. Health coverage for millions of children could be disrupted if CHIP's future is not secured.
[Your comment will be added here]
For nearly two decades, CHIP has been an essential source of coverage for families, ensuring access to high- quality, affordable, pediatric-appropriate health care for children in working families whose parents earn too much to qualify for Medicaid but too little to purchase private health insurance. It is a model program that has played a critical role in reducing the number of uninsured children by more than 50 percent while improving health outcomes and access to care for children and pregnant women across the nation.
If Congress fails to act now, the 10.2 million children estimated to be enrolled in CHIP in FY 2015 will be at risk of having their health coverage disrupted. It is worth noting that millions of the children who stand to lose CHIP would have no other coverage option available to them. The resulting increase in the rate of uninsurance would be an enormous step backwards for children in every state.
CHIP has strong bipartisan roots and was developed as a state-federal partnership that gives governors broad flexibility to design their programs to target the needs of their child populations. CHIP's uncertain future is a significant problem for states as they are already developing their FY 2016 budgets and negotiating contracts with insurers and providers. In order for states to continue their programs without interruption, they must know that that federal support for CHIP will exist beyond FY 2015. If funding is not stabilized, states will have no choice but to begin planning for the impending funding shortfall, which will require drastic program cuts through enrollment caps, benefit reductions, reductions in eligibility, or provider payments cuts. At a time when children's coverage rates have hit record highs - with 93 percent of our children enrolled in some type of health coverage - it would be devastating for children if states prepare to dismantle their CHIP programs.
Congress must not gamble with our children's future. Action on CHIP is needed as soon as possible. I urge you to include four years of CHIP funding among the must-pass legislation for the lame duck session so that families and states alike can be assured their children's coverage will be protected.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
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