It's Day 73 since CHIP funding expired, with Republicans continuing to refuse to provide clean funding for the children’s health insurance program. In fact, they plan on delaying funding until next year, despite the fact that state programs right now are scrambling to ensure the program's future. But we've got a prominent new advocate on the issue now, one who was instrumental in rallying the opposition to Trumpcare.
Jimmy Kimmel is reprising his role as an advocate for all the children. Monday night on his show, he and his now-healthy infant son, Billy, demanded Congress stop holding the program hostage.
“It almost certainly covers children you know. About one in eight children are covered only by CHIP,” Kimmel said. “Now, CHIP has become a bargaining chip. It’s on the back burner while [Republicans] work out their new tax plans, which means parents of children with cancer and diabetes and heart problems are about to get letters saying their coverage could be cut off next month. Merry Christmas, right? This happened because Congress, about 72 days ago, failed to approve funding for CHIP since the first time it was created about two decades ago.”
“It’s always had bipartisan support, but this year, they let the money for it expire while they work on getting tax cuts for their millionaire and billionaire donors,” he continued. “Imagine getting that letter literally not knowing how you’ll afford to save your child’s life. This is not a hypothetical: About 2 million CHIP kids have serious chronic conditions. I don’t know about you, I’ve had enough of this. I don’t know what could be more disgusting than putting a tax cut that mostly goes to rich people ahead of the lives of children. Why hasn’t CHIP been funded already?”
He asked his audience to call their members of Congress in support of CHIP, as well as use the hashtag #FundCHIPNow on social media. He also reminded everyone who doesn't have health insurance to go to Healthcare.gov and sign up. Because, as he said to huge applause, "Obamacare is not dead."
Jam the phone lines of House and Senate Republicans. Call (202) 224-3121, and tell them to stop holding kids hostage and to pass a clean funding bill for CHIP and community health centers.