Child Advocacy
ADVOCACY ALERTS
January 2007
Please call on Congress to reauthorize and fully fund the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).
The State Children's Health Insurance Program was first authorized by the United States Congress in 1997 and provided $40 billion over 10 years to fund health insurance for children of the working poor. In California, SCHIP funds are administered through Healthy Families and MediCal.
Since 1997, more than six million kids have been covered by SCHIP. Nationally, about nine million children still do not have any health coverage, 800,000 in California alone.
SCHIP must be reauthorized by Congress this year. While reauthorization is likely, the funding of SCHIP remains critical to not just continuing the program, but covering more kids with it. Sixty percent of uninsured kids are already eligible for SCHIP, but the funds must be budgeted so the program can insure them. The initial SCHIP authorization did not build in adjustments for inflation during its 10 years of operation, leaving it to doctors and health systems to absorb rising costs. This is putting immense pressures on the healthcare system, especially children's hospitals.
Please notify your congressional representatives and ask them to reauthorize and fully fund SCHIP. Millions of children are depending on it.
TAKE ACTION NOW: Click here to download the townhall_petition.pdf. Please sign and send it to Children’s Health Campaign, PO Box 34143, Washington, DC, 20043. Or call or write your local representatives.
Please take a moment and let your voice be heard. Your letter makes a big difference to the children we serve.
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