What We Need To Know About the 9 Million Kids Who Just Lost Their Healthcare

If you, or your child are covered under the CHIP for healthcare, for the first time in the program’s history, Congress missed the deadline to reauthorize the Children’s Health Insurance Program.

Chip was created in 1997, during the Clinton administration, and provided coverage for children in families with low and moderate incomes. It also covers pregnant women and was instrumental in lowering the number of kids who were uninsured.

Congress recently allowed the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) to expire, affecting approximately 9 million children. If Congress does not restore this funding soon, we will see children across the country become unable to visit their doctor for routine checkups, immunizations and other services.

CHIP services include: Checkups, Immunizations, Doctors visits, Prescriptions, Dental Care, Vision Care, Inpatient/Outpatient Hospital Care, Lab/X-ray services, and Emergency visits.

Families have been able to save money, which varies from state to state, but most families did not have to pay more than 5% of the family’s income per year for CHIP services. Routine doctor and dentist vists are free under this program. Working families are increasingly relying on CHIP services due to the increased costs of healthcare.

Researchers are predicting that three states and Washington, DC will run out of CHIP money by the end of December. Also, they believe that the majority of states will run out of funds by March 2018.

In a series of tweets, Hillary Clinton urged congress to renew the CHIP program. Clinton was the first lady when this program was established and championed the passing of CHIP through congress.

This hasn’t gotten enough attn: For the first time, Congress missed the deadline to reauthorize the Children’s Health Insurance Program. 1/7

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton)October 9, 2017

Back in the ’90s, Democrats and Republicans worked together to pass CHIP. Today, it covers 9 million kids. 2/7

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton)October 9, 2017

The test of any society is how it treats its children. We cannot allow millions of kids to lose access to basic health care. 5/7

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton)October 9, 2017

Grateful to the Senate Finance Committee for passing a strong and much needed bipartisan reauthorization bill. Now, let’s get this done. 6/7

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton)October 9, 2017

Call Congress @ (202) 224-3121. Tell them we must work together to get this done for the children & families counting on CHIP. 7/7

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton)October 9, 2017

What should we do now? Call congress to reestablish CHIP.202-224-3121

source: The Hill