The Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) quietly goes about its business and provides comprehensive, effective, pediatric-focused health care for 10 million children in this country. It is the definition of a success story, and yet, CHIP’s future is always tenuous. CHIP is the only federal health insurance program subjected to expirations, funding cliffs, the need for offsets, and threats of “political hostage-taking” simply to maintain the status quo. The continuation of CHIP requires “an act of Congress,” a phrase that is often used as a metaphor to describe something that is difficult to accomplish.

Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL) and Rep. Nanette Diaz Barragán (D-CA) have introduced the CARING for Kids Act and the Children’s Health Insurance Program Permanency (CHIPP) Act respectively — both bills would protect the health security and well-being of the 10 million children and pregnant women currently enrolled in CHIP while taking the long overdue and necessary step of finally making CHIP permanent, like every other public health insurance program, including Medicare and Medicaid.

Please ask your member of Congress to support these bipartisan efforts and eliminate threats to the health coverage of the 10 million children served by CHIP.