Catholic Health Association Issues Statement on Children’s Health Insurance Program

WASHINGTON, May 14 -- The Catholic Health Association of the United States issued the following statement by President and CEO Sister Carol Keehan:

"The effort to rescind $7 billion in funding for the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) is an unfortunate and an unacceptable way to try and address the federal deficit. The proposed CHIP funding rescission would cause a real loss in funding for children's health care and result in only a paper shuffle in federal deficit reduction, according to CBO's analysis of the House rescission legislation.

"The Children's Health Insurance Program provides health insurance coverage to nearly 9 million low-income children and over 350,000 pregnant women across the country. It has been a reliable source of coverage for working families who earn too much to qualify for Medicaid, but too little to afford private health insurance.

"On behalf of the Catholic Health Association, I urge the Administration and Congress to retain all funding previously allocated for the Children's Health Insurance Program and ensure its availability for future reallocation in addressing the health care needs of children under the program. As children are among the most vulnerable members of our society, ensuring their continued access to comprehensive health care should remain our priority."