First Focus Campaign for Children Applauds 5-Year CHIP Extension Deal, Urges Quick Passage

WASHINGTON—The First Focus Campaign for Children strongly supports the bipartisan agreement in the Senate Finance Committee to fund a five-year extension to the popular and effective Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), which covers 9 million low-income children. Funding for the program is set to expire on September 30.

First Focus Campaign for Children President Bruce Lesley said:

“We applaud Chairman Hatch and Ranking Member Wyden for making the health and well-being of America’s children a priority. Nearly 9 million kids from hardworking families who can’t afford health coverage, but earn too much to qualify for Medicaid, depend on CHIP.

Since CHIP was enacted 20 years ago, the uninsured rate for children in the US has been slashed by two-thirds. We’ve made too much progress to move backwards or put the health of millions of children at risk.

CHIP has proven to be an enormous, child-centered success story. We urge Congressional leaders to take action and pass, without delay, this proposed bipartisan five-year CHIP extension.”