CHIP traditionally got the backing of the bipartisan
Indian American Representative Kamala Harris has started a new petition asking the Congress to stop wasting time and renew the funding for the State Child Health Insurance policy (CHIP).
A petition that Harris started on her official website said it is high time that the Congress renew the CHIP policy before the funding runs out in the states, resulting in millions of kids losing their right to health care.
Criticising the Republican leaders for their effort to repeal the Affordable Health Care Act (Obama Care), Harris said for the whole of September, the administration forgot about CHIP and the nine million children it covers.
“But these kids, more than two million in California alone, shouldn’t have to pay the price of Congress’ inaction. We must renew CHIP before funding runs out in the states,” Harris said.
According to medical insurance firms, the rise of the country from the economic depression and the passing of Affordable Health Care Act have played an important role in decreasing the number of uninsured kids and teens, but the larger reason for the positive change was through Medicaid and CHIP.
But the Congress has put CHIP program in jeopardy as it failed to extend the Sept. 30 deadline for CHIP reauthorization; thus putting the healthcare of millions of kids at risk.
If the Congress further fails to fund the program, it would mean states will run out of fund resulting in hundreds of thousands of children living in the US without the public or private sector insurance.
CHIP, which has traditionally got the backing of the bipartisan, for some reason missed the deadline for reauthorization and it is speculated that the reason for the delay in reauthorization could be over partisan bickering.
According to reports, a bill to re-fund CHIP was passed out of committee in the Senate on Thursday but Republicans called for changes in that caused a logjam.
Reportedly, this could be the immediate reason that Harris started the petition to ensure funding for the State Child Health Insurance Program.