Washington, DC—The following is a joint statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics, Children’s Defense Fund, Children’s Dental Health Project, Children’s Hospital Association, Family Voices, First Focus Campaign for Children, March of Dimes and National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners:
“Federal funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) ran out on September 30th. There is a bipartisan agreement to renew CHIP for five years that both chambers of Congress support, and yet the CHIP funding extension included in the U.S. House of Representatives spending bill introduced today falls far short of that agreement.
“States have already started to notify families that they may not have a source of coverage should Congress fail to enact a long-term extension of CHIP funding, and several states have started to use funds meant to operate the program to start shutting it down. The short-term CHIP funding included in the House spending bill is not enough to prevent states from continuing these actions, and only causes more chaos and confusion on the ground.
“What states and families need is stability. Instead, what they get from the House measure is a continuation of a dangerous trend: temporary, inadequate CHIP funding patches, delivered at the last possible moment with no comprehensive relief or assurance.
“Congress’ failure to extend CHIP funding long-term has resulted in a manufactured emergency that has real consequences for children, families and pregnant women. It doesn’t have to be this way. There is bipartisan policy ready to be passed right now to extend CHIP funding for five years. Both chambers of Congress support it; the only thing preventing it from passing is political will. Congress must take the opportunity to pass a five-year CHIP funding extension on a bill this week to fund the federal government.
“Right now, the greatest threat to children’s health care coverage is congressional inaction.”
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American Academy of Pediatrics
The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 66,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults. For more information, visit www.aap.org and follow us on Twitter @AmerAcadPeds.
Media contact: Jamie Poslosky, 202-347-8600, jposlosky@aap.org
Children’s Defense Fund
The Children’s Defense Fund Leave No Child Behind® mission is to ensure every child a Healthy Start, a Head Start, a Fair Start, a Safe Start and a Moral Start in life and successful passage to adulthood with the help of caring families and communities.
Media contact: Kathleen King, 202-662-3576, kking@childrensdefense.org
Children’s Dental Health Project
The Children’s Dental Health Project (CDHP) creates and advances innovative policy solutions so that no child suffers from tooth decay. We are driven by the vision of all children achieving optimal oral health in order to reach their full potential. Learn more at www.cdhp.org.
Media contact: Amy J. Cotton, 202-417-3602 or acotton@cdhp.org
Children’s Hospital Association
The Children’s Hospital Association is the national voice of more than 220 children’s hospitals, advancing child health through innovation in the quality, cost and delivery of care.
Media contact: Gillian Ray, 202-753-5327, Gillian.ray@childrenshospitals.org
Family Voices
Family Voices is a national, nonprofit, family-led organization promoting quality health care for all children and youth, particularly those with special health care needs. Working with family leaders and professional partners at the local, state, regional, and national levels since 1992, Family Voices has brought a respected family perspective to improving health care programs and policies and ensuring that health care systems include, listen to, and honor the voices of families.
Media contact: Janis Guerney, 202-669-5233, jguerney@familyvoices.org
First Focus Campaign for Children
The First Focus Campaign for Children is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization affiliated with First Focus, a bipartisan children’s advocacy organization. The Campaign for Children advocates directly for legislative change in Congress to ensure children and families are a priority in federal policy and budget decisions. Learn more at campaignforchildren.org and follow on Twitter at @Campaign4Kids.
Media contact: Jonny Yao, 202-657-0664, jonnyy@firstfocus.org
March of Dimes
The March of Dimes is the leading nonprofit organization for pregnancy and baby health. For more than 75 years, moms and babies have benefited from March of Dimes research, education, vaccines, and breakthroughs. For the latest resources and health information, visit our websites marchofdimes.org and nacersano.org. To participate in our annual signature fundraising event, visit marchforbabies.org. If you have been affected by prematurity or birth defects, visit our shareyourstory.org community to find comfort and support. For detailed national, state and local perinatal statistics, visit persistats.org. You can also find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
Media contact: Cindy Pellegrini (202-659-1800; mediaadvocacy@marchofdimes.org
National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners
The National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP) is the nation’s only professional association for pediatric nurse practitioners (PNPs) and their fellow pediatric-focused advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) who are dedicated to improving the quality of health care for infants, children, adolescents and young adults. Representing more than 8,500 healthcare practitioners with 19 special interest groups and 50 chapters, NAPNAP has been advocating for children’s health since 1973 and was the first NP society in the U.S. Our mission is to empower pediatric-focused PNPs and their interprofessional partners to enhance child and family health through leadership, advocacy, professional practice, education and research. NAPNAP.org
Media contact: Michele Stickel (917-746-8273; mstickel@napnap.org
