9 million
Nine million children receive health care coverage through the Children’s Health Insurance Program, but due to Republicans’ failure to enact a comprehensive, bipartisan reauthorization of the program, states are running out of money right now and putting coverage at risk. And where are Congressional Republicans? At the White House celebrating the passage of their bill to raises taxes on middle-class families and add $1.5 trillion to the deficit. Meanwhile, families across the country face a great deal of uncertainty over whether their children will continue to have health coverage. From the New York Times:
“With more and more states running out of money for the Children’s Health Insurance Program, parents took their case to Capitol Hill on Tuesday, pleading with Congress to provide money before their sons and daughters lose health care and coverage.”
“But the program, known as CHIP, which insures nearly nine million children, took a back seat as lawmakers raced to pass a $1.5 trillion tax cut. CHIP’s fate, it appears, is now caught up in a messy fight over an end-of-the-year deal on spending that must be struck by Friday to avert a government shutdown.”
“‘CHIP is being used as a pawn in larger debates and negotiations,’ Linda Nablo, the chief deputy director of the Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services, said Tuesday in an interview. ‘It has fallen victim to the dysfunction and partisanship in Congress. And we are getting very close to the point where some children will also be victims.’”
“Virginia sent letters last week to parents of 68,000 children warning them that CHIP coverage would end on Jan. 31 unless Congress took action.”
“Meantime, the Alabama Department of Public Health posted a notice on its website this week saying that it would freeze enrollment in the Children’s Health Insurance Program on Jan. 1 and would not renew any coverage after that date.
“Colorado and Connecticut, among other states, have sent letters informing families that their children may soon lose CHIP coverage.”
“‘Congress has not acted to continue the funding, so we must plan to end the CHIP program on Jan. 31,’ said the letters from the Connecticut Department of Social Services.”
“De’Andrea Choice of Tyler, Tex., said CHIP had been ‘a blessing to me and my son.’ Her son is 15, regularly needs to visit medical specialists and takes several medications for a condition known as fecal incontinence or encopresis.”
“‘Without CHIP,’ she said, ‘I would not have been able to afford his doctor visits, and his medicine would have been difficult for me to purchase.”
“The Trump administration has reshuffled money to help states with the most urgent needs. But in so doing, it exacerbates the financial problems that other states will soon face because Congress has not provided any new funds.”
“Republican governors, including Greg Abbott of Texas and Scott Walker of Wisconsin, have joined Democrats in urgent appeals to Congress, without much success.”
“But the program, known as CHIP, which insures nearly nine million children, took a back seat as lawmakers raced to pass a $1.5 trillion tax cut. CHIP’s fate, it appears, is now caught up in a messy fight over an end-of-the-year deal on spending that must be struck by Friday to avert a government shutdown.”
“‘CHIP is being used as a pawn in larger debates and negotiations,’ Linda Nablo, the chief deputy director of the Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services, said Tuesday in an interview. ‘It has fallen victim to the dysfunction and partisanship in Congress. And we are getting very close to the point where some children will also be victims.’”
“Virginia sent letters last week to parents of 68,000 children warning them that CHIP coverage would end on Jan. 31 unless Congress took action.”
“Meantime, the Alabama Department of Public Health posted a notice on its website this week saying that it would freeze enrollment in the Children’s Health Insurance Program on Jan. 1 and would not renew any coverage after that date.
“Colorado and Connecticut, among other states, have sent letters informing families that their children may soon lose CHIP coverage.”
“‘Congress has not acted to continue the funding, so we must plan to end the CHIP program on Jan. 31,’ said the letters from the Connecticut Department of Social Services.”
“De’Andrea Choice of Tyler, Tex., said CHIP had been ‘a blessing to me and my son.’ Her son is 15, regularly needs to visit medical specialists and takes several medications for a condition known as fecal incontinence or encopresis.”
“‘Without CHIP,’ she said, ‘I would not have been able to afford his doctor visits, and his medicine would have been difficult for me to purchase.”
“The Trump administration has reshuffled money to help states with the most urgent needs. But in so doing, it exacerbates the financial problems that other states will soon face because Congress has not provided any new funds.”
“Republican governors, including Greg Abbott of Texas and Scott Walker of Wisconsin, have joined Democrats in urgent appeals to Congress, without much success.”