Senate Needs to Do the Same to Protect the Health of 1 Million California Children

January 14, 2009
Los Angeles, CA

Peter Manzo, president & CEO of United Ways of California issued the following statement in response to the United States House of Representatives passage of a bill reauthorizing the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, or SCHIP:

ldquo;The U.S. House of Representatives should be commended for passing a strong SCHIP reauthorization bill that is an important step in helping to keep nearly 1 million California children insured and healthy. Clearly they understand just how important this program is to our nation’s children.

“SCHIP is the primary funding source for California’s Healthy Families program, which provides low-cost health insurance coverage to more than 900,000 California children.  Healthy Families has been experiencing record enrollment as the economic crisis and job losses take their toll on so many families.  This bill will help California provide critical coverage to these children.

“We are pleased that the House bill not only allows children who currently receive health coverage through SCHIP programs like Healthy Families to continue to do so, but it also expands coverage to more children who need it. Nationally, this could cut number of uninsured children in half.

“The Senate is expected to debate their version of the SCHIP bill tomorrow.  We urge them to follow the House’s lead and also pass a strong bill that covers as many children as possible.”