Not a done deal: CHIP still needs to be renewed by September 30, but Congress wants to spend more time trying to repeal the ACA and cut Medicaid.  

Congress is quickly running out of time to extend funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) before current funding expires on September 30, 2017. Instead of saving coverage for more than 300,000 of our youngest New Yorkers by quickly marching forward to pass the deal on CHIP announced by the Senate Finance Committee last week, the Senate is now considering the Cassidy-Graham amendment. Cassidy-Graham will do nothing to help Congress meet its September 30 CHIP deadline. Instead, it brings back the same failed policies from previous proposals to repeal the ACA and cut Medicaid. Fitch Ratings, an independent, non-partisan organization that evaluates state finances says Cassidy-Graham is “more disruptive for most states than prior Republican efforts.” Its analysis shows it will be worse for seniors, children, and individuals with disabilities.

How Can You Help?

Call Congress! Call 1-877-233-9025 and follow the prompts to speak with your representative. Tell your representatives:

1. To save coverage for more than 300,000 of our youngest New Yorkers by continuing bipartisan efforts to extend CHIP funding.
2. To end the partisan efforts to repeal the ACA and cut Medicaid for seniors, children, and individuals with disabilities, which will take away coverage from more than 30 million.

E-mail your representative: To send an e-mail, follow this link to find your representative: https://www.house.gov/representatives/find/

Activate folks in other states to call key senators. This tool is provided thanks to 1199 SEIU. To use Hub Dialer you need a computer and a phone. First, log-in at hubdialer.com/agent with Campaign ID 09740 and Passcode 171717. Watch a training video here https://fast.wistia.net/embed/iframe/ydnhj71ul4?popover=true

Amplify the message. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to share, like and tweet to help disseminate the most up-to-date news on CHIP! Click HERE to see sample social media posts to contact your representative or senators to make your voice heard!

Join Us for a Webinar. Hear from Judy Arnold from the New York State Department of Health, Health Care for All New York, the Schuyler Center for Advocacy and Analysis, and the Children’s Defense Fund – New York on September 21 at 2:00PM to learn more about the future of CHIP in New York. Click HERE to register.

Share your story. The Children’s Defense Fund – New York wants to know what health coverage means to you and your family. Share your story by clicking HERE!