Restore federal funding for children’s health care

Nearly a quarter of a million Ohio children are at risk of losing their health care coverage this holiday season — that is, unless Congress acts.

For the past 20 years, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) has provided health care coverage to millions of uninsured children. In Ohio, the state’s CHIP program, commonly known as Healthy Start, provides coverage to an estimated 223,583 children.

Yet, in a move that has all the makings of a modernday Ebenezer Scrooge, the Republican-controlled U.S. Congress recently failed to reauthorize funding for CHIP, allowing funding for the program to lapse at the end of September. More than a month later, Congress still has not restored funding.

Now, Ohio is one of several states that is just weeks away from exhausting its federal CHIP funds. In other words, as Ohio families prepare to celebrate this holiday season with their loved ones, thousands could be notified that their children no longer have access to health benefits.

CHIP helps provide health care coverage to uninsured children whose families earn too much to receive Medicaid, but too little to afford private coverage. Ohio’s CHIP program ensures that eligible children have access to critical health care benefits, including routine checkups, doctor visits, prescriptions, dental cleanings, vision and hearing exams, and immunizations, among other services. Importantly, the program also covers qualifying pregnant women, helping give children a healthy start before they’re even born.

It’s a no-brainer: When kids have access to consistent, high-quality health care, they are able to lead healthier lives, helping them to succeed in school and beyond. In fact, research shows that programs like CHIP and Medicaid can help children do better in school and even earn more as adults.

Since going into effect more than two decades ago, CHIP has driven significant progress. Prior to CHIP, nearly 14 percent of children — roughly 1 in every 7 kids — were uninsured. CHIP, together with Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act, has helped bring the rate of uninsured children down to 5 percent today. In Ohio, these programs have helped push the rate of uninsured children to historic lows.

Without quick action from Congress, however, Ohio could be forced to freeze or limit children’s coverage, jeopardizing these crucial gains.

Failing to restore federal CHIP funds doesn’t just hurt Ohio children and families — it also puts a significant strain on our state’s budget. If no new federal funding is approved, Ohio will be left to pick up the tab, which, according to reports, could be near $200 million. However, since Ohio lawmakers crafted the state budget under the assumption that Congress would reauthorize federal funding for CHIP, it’s unclear where state officials would find the money to cover the funding gap. As a result, Ohio could face a funding shortfall.

Playing politics with children’s health care is reckless, mean-spirited, and simply unacceptable. For years, CHIP has helped provide struggling families peace of mind, knowing that if their child is unexpectedly injured or suddenly gets sick, they will have access to timely medical care without blowing a hole in the family’s budget. Congress must act immediately to restore federal funding for CHIP and protect the health and well-being of millions of American children.