SCHIP ACTION ALERT: Take Action Wednesday! Help Protect the Health of Children by Supporting the State Children's Health Insurance Program.

On Wednesday, October 17, 2007, we need you to call the offices of Representative Bob Etheridge (D, 2nd District) and Representative Robin Hayes (R, 8th District).

Background:
Thursday, October 18th the U.S. House of Representatives is schedule to vote on overriding President Bush’s veto of legislation to reauthorize and expand SCHIP.
This important legislation does provide health insurance for over 1,300 children in North Carolina with special needs. This legislation also includes a six-month moratorium on proposed regulations to limit habilitation services under Medicaid’s rehabilitative services option.
Here is what is at stake:
1) Health insurance for children in families with incomes up 250% of the federal poverty level.

2) No exclusion from coverage due to pre-existing conditions.

3) Coverage of dental care.

4) Parity for mental health services.

5) A provision for a 6-month moratorium on proposed Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services regulations on Medicaid's rehabilitation option and school based services for Medicaid-eligible children with disabilities. These regulations would result in billions of dollars in cuts for services for children with disabilities.

We need your voices to help the House of Representatives override the Presidential veto of SCHIP. If you live in the following House members districts we need you to call them.Representative Bob Etherdridge (D, 2nd District)Representative Robin Hayes (R, 8th District)

CALL 1-800-828-0498 ASK to be connected to the office of Etheridge or Hayes.

TELL THEM:

*To change their vote against kids into a vote for kids.

*Please vote for uninsured children in our district and vote to override Bush’s veto of the expansion of the children’s health insurance program.

*Children with special needs are currently served by SCHIP and we need to serve more children with special needs. This expansion legislation will help make that happen.

*This legislation includes a 6 month moratorium on CMS rules that would limit habilitation services under Medicaid’s rehabilitative services option. This moratorium is important to people with disabilities and their families.

*North Carolina did not have enough money to cover families of 4 making under $41,300 because so many lower-income kids in NC need coverage. The program was saved in NC by shifting younger children into Medicaid. We need this new money just to cover the lowest income children in the state.

*A 61 cent increase in the federal cigarette tax to fund the program means 3-4 times more money for NC in increased funding for children’s health insurance than we will ever lose from the increase in the cost of cigarettes.