Moms Group Demands Congress Extend CHIP Funding Immediately

BELLEVUE, Wash., Oct. 3 -- MomsRising issued the following news release:

On Saturday, funding for the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) expired. This critically important program has reduced the uninsured rate for kids in the U.S. to less than 5% over the past two decades. Historically, support for CHIP has been bipartisan, helping to ensure we always give our kids a winning hand of lifelong health. It provides coverage to nearly 9 million kids and 370,000 pregnant women nationwide. Children enrolled in CHIP have access to routine check-ups, immunizations, prescriptions, dental and vision care, and emergency services among others.

Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, CEO and Executive Director of MomsRising, issued the following statement in response:

"For decades, CHIP has provided an economic lifeline to mothers and families across the country who cannot afford to worry about routine and emergency health care costs for their children. It has brought peace of mind for so many working parents who can rest easy knowing that the potential for job loss wouldn't mean losing access to health services for their families in times of need. In short, because of CHIP, taking care of a sick child never has to mean risking bankruptcy. CHIP is a successful program that has boosted both families and the economy.

"Now, the Republican-led Congress has let the CHIP expiration float by without action. That is unacceptable. No parent should have to lose sleep over their child's health, yet every day that goes by without Congressional action, politicians are literally putting kids' lives at risk. In addition, states rely on stable CHIP funding for budget planning and need assurance that funds will be available for the long-term.

"Families, nor states, can afford to wait - that's why MomsRising and its more than one million members urge Congress to act immediately to pass a fully-funded extension of CHIP."

A petition from MomsRising is calling on Congress to put in place a five-year extension of CHIP, which they say would give stability and reliability to millions of Americans.