Divided We Fail Coalition Urges Congress to Protect Children's Health Care

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How secure is America's future if our children can't get the health care they need today?

The State Child Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) provides health insurance to millions of uninsured children. Congress must act now or these kids could lose access to health care. That's why AARP, the Business Roundtable, and the Service Employees International Union are urging Congress and the President to work together and keep SCHIP running.

AARP members care deeply about their children and grandchildren, and AARP is committed to the future of every generation. We started Divided We Fail to break through Washington gridlock and partisan bickering to find solutions on health and lifetime financial security. We united with the Business Roundtable and the Service Employees International Union - groups with very different policy perspectives - because the American people deserve actions, answers, and accountability.

We agree that the first step toward assuring quality, affordable health care for all Americans begins with covering children. Together, we want our nation's lawmakers to understand that this vital program is a necessary investment in America's future. We want Congress and the President to reauthorize and strengthen SCHIP now.

SCHIP benefits millions and millions of kids…and the American public

Currently, children in all 50 states and the District of Columbia can apply for enrollment in SCHIP. The availability of the program has helped an estimated 7.6 million children and pregnant women gain health care coverage. As a result, millions of kids have access to the care that keeps them healthy and ready to learn - and their families have greater peace of mind, saved from worry about the potential of costly medical bills.

SCHIP Works

Consider this; even though the total number of uninsured Americans continues to escalate, the percentage of uninsured children has actually fallen by one-third over the past decade. Government-funded health care programs, like SCHIP, Medicaid and Medicare, are essential buildings block in efforts to reform our nation's ailing health care system.

Together, SCHIP and Medicaid offer protection to families that cannot afford insurance offered by their employers. Furthermore, covering children's health care needs is a cost-effective use of taxpayer dollars, given the substantial long-term benefits that relatively low-cost children's health care coverage can provide. As the song goes, "the children are our future." We must invest in the health of our kids for a strong tomorrow.

More Needs to be Done

The success of SCHIP is far from complete, however. More than 9 million children remain uninsured - two-thirds of them already are eligible for but not enrolled in Medicaid or SCHIP. The federal government projects that 1.5 million or more children would lose coverage by 2012 if current SCHIP funding levels remain flat.

Ensuring that children have affordable health care coverage is a priority for every American who cares about children and our country's future. We are optimistic that by working with others to improve and reauthorize SCHIP, we can strengthen the bonds between generations and build a healthier future for us all.

See Also:

View the ad (PDF) that AARP, BRT, and SEIU have taken out in support of the SCHIP reauthorization.