Across the country, more and more companies are shedding jobs.  The government reported recently that the unemployment rate jumped to 7.2 percent in December from 4.7 percent a year ago.  Unfortunately, when unemployment increases, so do the number of Americans without health insurance.  And, when parents lose their jobs and employer-sponsored health care policies, their children lose coverage too.  That is why it especially important during these tough times to ensure that the most vulnerable among us can continue to receive the excellent medical care that this great nation is capable of providing.    

On January 14, 2009, the U.S. House of Representatives approved H.R. 2, The Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act, by a vote of 289 to 139.  I was pleased to support this bipartisan bill, which would reauthorize and expand the popular State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) for an additional four and a half years.  Over the last decade, SCHIP has provided health coverage to American children whose parents do not qualify for Medicaid, but who cannot afford private insurance.      

Passage of this important legislation would preserve health care coverage for 7.1 million children currently covered by this program and would extend coverage to 4.1 million children.  In Missouri alone, this measure would allow 81,764 additional children to qualify for SCHIP insurance.  Many of these young Missourians come from small towns and rural areas. 

This important legislation would improve SCHIP benefits for participants.  It would offer mental health services on par with medical and surgical benefits covered under SCHIP and would provide quality dental coverage to all children enrolled in SCHIP.  The program is fully paid for.  And, importantly, it would ensure that only the children of legal immigrants are eligible to receive health care coverage.

Important to Missouri, the legislation includes a provision that would improve outreach and enrollment tools for states to reach uninsured children who are today eligible for the State Children’s Health Insurance Program and Medicaid but are not yet enrolled.  Rural areas, which have high rates of eligible but not enrolled children, would receive additional funds to enroll children.   

Providing health coverage for 11 million children is not only the right thing to do, it is also much more cost-effective for taxpayers who were stuck picking up the tab when families without insurance chose to take sick children to the emergency room rather than visiting a primary care provider.   By continuing our commitment to the children’s health care program, we decrease long term health care costs and provide a critical health care safety net to millions of America’s working poor families.  I am hopeful that the legislation will receive similar bipartisan support when it is considered by the U.S. Senate.  Our new President has indicated he will sign it into law if it reaches his desk.

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