Texas' CHIP Funding in Jeopardy at the Federal Level

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Author:
Anne Dunkelberg /(512) 320-0222 x 102

July 23, 2007

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The 2007 Texas legislative session saw important health care victories for Texas children through the Children’s Health Insurance Program. Now it’s up to Washington to reauthorize enough money so that Texas children can receive the quality coverage they deserve. This week will see a full Senate vote on SCHIP and important decisions about the House bill in the Energy and Commerce Committee. Ultimately, this legislation will fund Texas’ CHIP program for the next 5 years. More than any other state, Texas needs a strong CHIP reauthorization to allow our program, which has dropped by more than 200,000 children (over 40% of enrollment) to recover, and then to grow with the population. CHIP is effective and saves the state money, yet the President is threatening to veto the developing legislation, claiming that it would expand the program dramatically, reduce private coverage of low-income children, and pave the way for “government-run health care.” It's time for you to act!