Rep. Randy Hultgren (R-IL) recently urged House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) to help ensure the continued funding of the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), according to a press release.
Funding for the CHIP program will end on Sept. 30 unless it is renewed. It currently helps cover 250,000 children in Illinois and 9 million nationally, press release said.
"CHIP is good for our kids and financially responsible for the federal government,” Hultgren wrote in the letter to Ryan. “Not only are out-of-pocket costs for parents and children enrolled in CHIP less than the cost of coverage through plans sold in the individual market, Illinois children in the program are offered more comprehensive benefits, including dental, vision and habilitative services for patients with complex medical conditions and special needs.”
U.S. Rep. Randy Hultgren (R-IL)
Hultgren noted that the country currently boasts an insured rate of 95 percent for children, thanks in large part to CHIP and the bipartisan support it has traditionally received. He expressed his willingness and eagerness to work with Ryan and other leaders in the House to ensure that the program continues smoothly.
“Without reauthorization of federal funding, state budget constraints will make insuring these children all but impossible,” Hultgren wrote. “We should not weigh the health and coverage needs of Americans differently based on their zip code, especially when it comes to vulnerable children with few alternatives.”
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