Wednesday, March 7, 2007
Children's Health: Celebrate Victory & Take Action
Yesterday the Washington State Legislature sent to the Governor's desk a historic bill aimed at gauranteeing health care for all children. This is an incredible victory for kids!
Washington CAN! and our allies successfully worked to improve the eligibility criteria in the bill to make sure that uninsured middle class families would receive assistance on a sliding scale. You canread more about this historic vote in today's Olympian.
But the fight to cover all kids isn't over. Our state relies on funding from the Federal Government to provide health care for kids. This year, Congress needs to reauthorize the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).
Your senator, Patty Murray (D), is on the Budget Committee and in a unique position to influence the outcome of SCHIP funding!
Calls are needed today and tomorrow to all Senators and Representatives to tell them we need at least $60 billion in new money for the SCHIP program during Reauthorization. Your calls are doubly important.
Call Congress, toll-free 1-800-828-0498
What should you say?
- Congress must ensure that there are at least enough
funds to cover the children who are eligible for SCHIP,
but not yet enrolled. To do this, we will need at least $60
billion in new federal funds over the next 5 years.
- No one should lose coverage because there
are not enough federal funds. The $60 billion includes funding
to ensure that no one currently enrolled in the program will
lose coverage because of a lack of federal funds.
- Without significant new federal dollars, the SCHIP coverage of over 15,000 low-income children in Washington is at risk, and the 78,000 uninsured children in the state will continue to go without the health care services they need.
Why now?
The House and Senate Budget Committees are making decisions NOW about federal funding levels for the SCHIP program. These Senators and Representatives, and all Members of Congress, need to hear how important this program is and about the need to fully fund the program.
Call Congress, toll-free today and tomorrow at
1-800-828-0498
Wanna know more? Check out “Where Things Stand” in the Medicaid and SCHIP Action Center.
Please forward this alert as widely as possible!
Thank you for doing your part to guarantee high-quality, affordable health care for all children!
With
over 30,000 members across the state, Washington CAN! is the
state’s largest grassroots community organization. Washington CAN! fights
for progressive social change at the local, state, and national levels, with a
focus on issues that most directly affect the lives of Washington residents.
Our mission is to achieve economic fairness in order to establish a democratic
society characterized by racial and social justice, with respect for diversity,
and a decent quality of life for those who reside in Washington State. www.WashingtonCAN.org
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