Maybe now attention can turn to children’s health care

The RNC addressed these claims in a new research article, showing evidence that Democrats opposed GOP-backed bills to fund CHIP in recent months because they had not agreed on offsets to fund the program. It is not too late to ask your friends living in GOP-held congressional districts to call on their congressmen to reauthorize CHIP so Virginians and citizens across the country can have the medical certainty they deserve and need.

New Mexico’s CHIP program provides funding for insurance for children in families who do not qualify for Medicaid and earn up to 305 percent of the federal poverty level.

“I’m hopeful as well, but I don’t have any confidence that it’s going to happen”, Maestas said during the LFC hearing.

CHIP has worked wonders for Pennsylvania’s children: nearly 350,000 were enrolled in CHIP-funded programs in 2016, ranking it fifth among all states and helping to reduce Pennsylvania’s uninsured rate among children to below 4 percent.

When analyzed by cost per beneficiary, CHIP costs about $1,750 per child or pregnant mother per year, while Medicare costs about $12,000 per person per year, according to CMS data.

Virginia’s Department of Medical Assistance Services estimates that almost 1,200 of those children live in Richmond.

So, why have U.S. Rep. Glenn Thompson and the Republican Congress failed to lead on behalf of Pennsylvania families? “As a nurse, I spend every day taking care of other people’s family members”. “In fact, the present delay is a result of a request by the minority party to further negotiations on offsets”.

With this record of success and history of broad support, continuing to fund this program should be a no-brainer.

The crisis on CHIP is a deeper one than just the immediate lapse of funds.

“We’re in better shape than most states”, Miller said.

“There are around 180,000 children right here in Pennsylvania waiting for Congress to do the right thing”.

“CHIP and other public health priorities are vital for highly rural and low-income communities”.

Pennsylvania could run out of money for CHIP as early as February. Most states will run out of money in the next few months if Congress does not act.

The U.S. House passed CHIP legislation on November 3, with a 242 to 174 vote. HHSC had requested $90 million from the federal government to carry the program through February.

CHIP covers about 55,000 children in Nebraska, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation, and about 85,000 in Iowa.

“Unless something changes … enrollment will be frozen January 1”, McAuliffe said.

“In the absence of Congressional action, we have worked to protect coverage for children and pregnant women in each of our states, but we will need federal support to continue the program”, the letter said.

The House and Senate must agree on a bill before it can be sent to President Donald Trump for his signature.