Letter: Congress should pass SCHIP
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As unemployment rises and families lose their health insurance, the U.S. House of Representatives is poised to pass legislation to expand the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, with Speaker Nancy Pelosi saying she wants legislation on President-elect Barack Obama’s desk by Inauguration Day.
For millions of parents whose children lack health care, and for millions more who worry about their children losing their existing coverage as the economy falters, the immediate passage of SCHIP is a crucial first step toward broader economic recovery.
In 2008, the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured released a report showing that, for every 1 percent increase in the unemployment rate, the number of people who enroll in SCHIP or Medicaid increases by 1 million while an additional 1.1 million join the ranks of the uninsured. This means that if unemployment rises to 10 percent — as some economists expect — an additional 5 million people could be looking to enroll in SCHIP or Medicaid, including 3 million children. Without strengthening SCHIP, states could not withstand such a huge increase in applicants, which would in turn leave millions of additional children uninsured.
For state governments facing huge budget deficits, an expanded SCHIP also means more health-care funding passing through their states at a time when it’s needed most. To give states the confidence they need to maintain and expand their programs, however,
Congress needs to assure a minimum of four years of funding.
For nearly three years, faith leaders from Working Interfaith Network have joined together with sister organizations in the PICO National Network and child health advocacy organizations in a nationwide campaign to expand health care to the nation’s 8.6 million uninsured children. Despite numerous setbacks, we have remained steadfast in our faith in our nation’s leaders to do the right thing for our children.
Kicking off a broader economic recovery agenda by addressing children’s health is not only the most compassionate first step the 111th Congress can take, it can also build the common ground we need for tackling the larger issues of health reform, job growth and foreclosure relief. There are few places where the grip of ideology breaks down more than when dealing with what’s good for our children.
In crisis, people turn to their faith communities for both spiritual and physical nourishment. As a faith-based community organization, our member congregations are seeing the on-the-ground effects of the economic crisis, including increasing numbers of families losing their jobs, health insurance and homes. Let’s pray that immediate passage of SCHIP is Congress’ first step toward putting families first and helping everyday Americans rebuild their communities.
To contact your members of Congress, call (202)-350-9734.
Nakeisha R. Cleveland, executive director
Working Interfaith Network
Baton Rouge
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