Action Needed on Children’s Health Bill (SCHIP)

Congress is in session this week before they recess for their August break. The House and the Senate will return to Washington, DC after Labor Day. They are working to pass much legislation before they go home so that they can talk to their constituents about their legislative achievements this year.

Now is an important time to contact your Senators and Representative to urge their support of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). Both the House and the Senate are voting on the reauthorization SCHIP this week. Please call your Senators and Representative as soon as possible today. The House vote is expected this afternoon. The Senate vote is expected later today or tomorrow. The toll-free telephone number is 1-800-828-0498.  Families USA, a health care advocacy organization, is sponsoring a toll-free telephone number for advocates to call their officials in Washington, DC.

Why your Members of Congress really need to hear from you:This week Members of Congress will decide on the fate of children's health. They are poised to reauthorize the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), a program providing health coverage to more than six million low-income children.  Despite the success and broad bipartisan support for SCHIP, the program is under attack. The President has issued a veto threat and some Members plan to offer amendments that will weaken SCHIP and deny millions of children health insurance.

Without strong bipartisan votes in the House and Senate the program will expire in 62 days, leaving millions of children uninsured. But your calls can send a strong message both protecting the children currently enrolled and allowing millions more eligible children to receive coverage.

Senate Message: "I'm a constituent of Senator _____. Please tell him/her to vote YES on children's health and NO on all amendments that restrict children's eligibility for health coverage."

House Message: "I'm a constituent of Rep. ________. Please tell him/her to vote for the CHAMP Act (HR 3162) on the Floor.

Families USA has developed a side-by-side comparison of the House and Senate bills: http://chn.org/pdf/2007/House&Senatesidebysidepdf

The Senate Finance Committee passed a SCHIP renewal bill on June 19 that provides $35 billion in new funding for the program over five years. The bill is on the Senate floor this week and it is expected that a number of weakening amendments will be offered. The Senate bill is funded by an increase in the tobacco tax.

The House Committees with jurisdiction over SCHIP have introduced the Children's Health and Medicare Protection Act (CHAMP Act), H.R. 3162. The House bill provides $50 billion in new funding that is paid for by a tobacco tax, and cuts to the Medicare Advantage plan, plans that have been showed to be over-paid by the government.

In addition to renewing SCHIP, the House bill also contains improvements to Medicare and eliminates scheduled cuts to provider payments. The House bill extends the exceptions process for Medicare therapy caps and restores the annual update for nursing homes and home health care providers. The bill also eliminates proposed cuts in payments to physicians that treat patients on Medicare

The CHAMP Act expands Medicaid and children’s insurance to legal immigrant children and pregnant women, and includes other provisions that strengthen and improve the program. The bill is scheduled to come to the House floor on Wednesday and will be on the floor for the next day or two.

We expect that various attempts will be made to weaken SCHIP. It is critical that Congress hears from you and that both bills pass the House and the Senate by a wide margin. This is the only way SCHIP can withstand a Presidential veto.  Thanks for calling your Senators and Representatives.