A boy with asthma can’t get the inhalers and regular checkups he needs.
A girl with attention deficit disorder struggles in school because she can’t get the counseling and prescriptions that help control her condition.
A boy injured in a car crash gets emergency care, but his mother can’t afford the ongoing rehabilitation he needs to heal completely.
These aren’t hypothetical cases. They are real stories of real children who have gone without the care they need because their families can’t afford health insurance.
Fortunately, in two of these cases, the children did succeed in getting coverage through the Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+), a state-sponsored insurance program for children whose families make too much money to quality for Medicaid but not enough to afford private insurance. Because of CHP+, they were able to get the treatment they need.
Now, though, this vitally important program is in jeopardy. Without additional federal funds, Colorado’s ability to serve tens of thousands of uninsured children will shrink. If the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) is not expanded, more children may find themselves in the type of situation described above.
Nearly 180,000 Colorado kids – one in six of our children – currently are uninsured. Children without health coverage are less likely to get immunizations to prevent childhood diseases, regular checkups to prevent small problems from turning into big ones, and prompt care for urgent needs. They are more than seven times as likely as insured children to go without needed medical care, more than three times as likely to forgo dental care, and more than twice as likely to go without necessary eyeglasses.
SCHIP, a landmark program created by Congress in 1997, was designed to address that problem. Since its inception, SCHIP has reduced the percentage of uninsured children nationwide by more than one-third.
SCHIP is a block grant from the federal government to the states – not an entitlement – providing $2 in federal money for every $1 invested by the state. States have the flexibility to create their own programs, and I am proud to have helped craft Colorado’s CHP+ plan.
CHP+ covers kids whose parents make up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level. That’s about $40,000 for a family of four – not much money in this time of high housing, energy and gas costs. Families pay an annual enrollment fee; in return, their children get basic medical and dental care.
Currently, more than 50,000 kids and 1,300 pregnant women are covered by CHP+ in Colorado. But that’s fewer than half the kids who qualify for the program. We estimate that more than 55,000 additional Colorado children are eligible for CHP+ but not enrolled.
In order to cover those children, we need funds for outreach and enrollment, and to pay providers fairly. We can’t cover more kids if we don’t have enough doctors or the means to reach out to those children’s families.
That’s why additional funds are so critical – and that’s where Congress comes in.
SCHIP is up for reauthorization and funding in Congress this year. Fortunately, the program enjoys broad bipartisan support.
Funding, though, is complicated. In order to cover all the children who are eligible under current guidelines but not enrolled, Congress must authorize $50 billion in total SCHIP funding for the next five years. That may sound like a lot, but it’s less than one-tenth of the $1 trillion Medicare prescription drug benefit.
On the other hand, if SCHIP funding is not expanded, Colorado’s CHP+ program will be in the red in less than five years.
We are fortunate to have strong advocates for SCHIP in our delegation who can keep that from happening.
When we give our children a solid foundation – safe communities, a good education and good health – our society benefits culturally, socially and economically. I hope all members of our delegation will cast their votes to protect the future of Colorado’s children – and our state – by expanding funding for SCHIP.
Barbara O’Brien was elected Colorado lieutenant governor in November along with Gov. Bill Ritter. Prior to that, she spent 15 years as president of the Colorado Children’s Campaign.
