COURTNEY URGES CHIP REAUTHORIZATION

WASHINGTON, DC—Today, Congressman Joe Courtney (CT-02) sent a letter to Congressional leadership along with 98 other members of the House urging them to work together to extend funding for the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Delivered to House Speaker Paul Ryan (WI-01), House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (CA-12), Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (N.Y.), the letter advocates for immediately reauthorizing CHIP while simultaneously protecting the Affordable Care Act, Medicare, Medicaid and other health programs that Americans rely on to stay healthy, see a doctor and get the care they deserve.

Courtney is also a cosponsor of HR 4541 to reauthorize the CHIP program for five years.

"Millions of working-class families across our country rely on CHIP to provide quality health insurance for their children that they would otherwise not be able to afford," said Courtney. "Since the CHIP program was first created it has been regularly reauthorized with strong bipartisan support from across the political spectrum. Today, I am joining nearly 100 of my colleagues in pleading with our leadership in the House and Senate to make this a priority this coverage lapses and parents are left with nowhere to turn."

Nine million children across the country rely on CHIP, which has played a fundamental role in lowering the uninsured rate among children from 25 percent in 1997 to less than five percent today. CHIP provides comprehensive, low-cost health coverage for services including routine check-ups, immunizations, doctor visits, prescriptions, dental and vision care, and emergency services.

Roughly, 1,700 children across Connecticut receive health insurance through CHIP.

Federal funding for CHIP expired over two months ago, and as a result, many states across the country are preparing to terminate children's health coverage.