February 4, 2009 - The reauthorization and expansion of SCHIP is a critical first step in our nation’s efforts to expand affordable, quality healthcare to low income children nationwide. This new law plugs holes in a tattered safety net for America’s families and helps bring peace of mind to parents who can’t obtain affordable insurance – including those who have lost their jobs and insurance coverage during these challenging economic times. Our society benefits long term when children receive the care necessary to lead healthy and productive lives. The tobacco tax increase to fund the SCHIP reauthorization will also discourage children from smoking and becoming addicted to a deadly product. In particular, this new law helps identify and prevent the development of risk factors in children for cardiovascular disease with the inclusion of demonstration projects that explore new strategies for reducing childhood obesity and the development of quality measures aimed at children. The legislation will also make certain that children born with heart defects are not denied care because their parents cannot afford health insurance; and we are also pleased that more low-income pregnant women may gain access to prenatal care to help prevent these birth defects. Parents should not be forced to forgo essential health care for their children because of income or preexisting conditions. We applaud the Congress and the Administration for protecting the health of America’s children and look forward to working with them to make affordable, quality health care available to all Americans.

For more information, please contact Suzanne Ffolkes at (202) 785-7929.