Young Invincibles Issues Statement on Children’s Health Insurance Plan

WASHINGTON, Nov. 4 -- The Young Invincibles issued the following statement by Southern Director Maggie Jo Buchanan on the Children's Health Insurance Plan:

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Today, the House voted to advance problematic legislation to finance the Children's Health Insurance Plan (CHIP) by cutting other essential health programs. The House proposal includes cuts to the Prevention and Public Health Fund, which supports initiatives such as tobacco use prevention, access to childhood vaccines, and lead poisoning prevention. It also shortens the grace period for consumers paying premiums for individual private insurance-which could take away insurance from as many as 688,000 people.

Maggie Jo Buchanan, Young Invincibles' Southern Director, released the following statement:

"In September, Congress failed to invest in CHIP, leaving the nine million children who receive health insurance from the program in limbo. Many states have already exhausted their CHIP funds, and more will follow even before the end of the year. Stopgap funding has kept these states afloat, but this is not a long-term solution.

"Despite being in desperate need of a solution, the House advanced their proposal today, despite it widely being considered a non-starter in the Senate. Young families simply can't afford to lose health coverage for their children while Congress takes on partisan fights.

"We need Congress to work together to pass legislation that puts families first by fully funding CHIP without slashing other critical health care programs."

This document was posted showing the date: Nov. 3, 2017.