Ensure Health Coverage for All Children in America
In the richest nation in the world it is unacceptable that millions of uninsured families can't afford to provide their children with regular visits to the doctor or dentist. Being uninsured also means more than just not being able to see the doctor. A child's health and development during their first few years has enormous implications for their education, lifetime earnings and health in adulthood!
The reality is health coverage for millions of families in America is just too costly. For millions more, the health coverage they have is inadequate or they have a difficult time keeping the coverage they have.
Clearly, our health care system is broken.
Fortunately, momentum around health care reform is building - our nation has an unprecedented opportunity to make critical changes to our broken health care system. Congress is drafting health care reform legislation right now - that's why it is crucial for you to contact your Members of Congress today to let them know that affordable, comprehensive health coverage for everyone - especially children - is important to you.
Dear Representative [Name],
President Barack Obama ran on a campaign promise of health coverage for all children in America. Now that the unfinished business of the last Congress - the expansion of CHIP - is done, children deserve real health care reform so that no child is without coverage. Even with the CHIP expansion, 5-6 million children will still have no coverage and millions more will be underinsured. With rising health care costs, families are struggling - especially now - to get health care for their children. I am writing to urge you to support affordable health coverage for everyone in America and ensure that any health care reform legislation includes health coverage for all children.
I urge you to support health coverage legislation that includes the following:
- A national eligibility level of at least 300 percent of the poverty level and the ability to buy in at affordable rates for families above that income level.
- A comprehensive benefit package that allows children to receive all medically necessary services.
- The simplification of the system, including the implementation of processes such as automatic enrollment, and the removal of all bureaucratic barriers so that children can get enrolled and stay enrolled.
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