Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
With CHIP Funds In Limbo, Parents Worry They'll Have To Ask: 'Are They Sick Enough To Merit Doctors' Visit?'
NPR: Parents Worry Congress Won't Fund The Children's Health Insurance Program
It's a beautiful morning in Pittsburgh, but Ariel Haughton is stressed out. She's worried her young children's health insurance coverage will soon lapse. "So, we're like a low-middle-class family, right?" she says. "I'm studying. My husband's working, and our insurance right now is 12 percent of our income — just for my husband and I. And it's not very good insurance either." (Kodjak, 12/12)
The Washington Post: Jimmy Kimmel Holds His Baby Son, Post-Heart Surgery, In Emotional Health-Care Monologue
Jimmy Kimmel was absent from his ABC late-night show last week while his 8-month-old son, Billy, recovered from his second heart surgery. Ever since Billy was born with a heart defect and required immediate surgery, Kimmel has become an outspoken advocate for universal health care, occasionally using his monologue to plead with (or deliver scathing criticisms of) members of Congress. “No parent should ever have to decide if they can afford to save their child’s life,” he said tearfully in May. On Monday, Kimmel returned to the stage with his son in his arms. Billy, wearing a tiny sweater vest, stayed remarkably calm on camera as Kimmel choked up once more while talking about his son. (Yahr, 12/12)
Georgia Health News: PeachCare Funds Could Dry Up In Weeks Without A New Deal In D.C.
Federal funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (which includes PeachCare) expired Sept. 30, putting the future of the popular insurance program in limbo. ...Through PeachCare, it covers roughly about 130,000 children in Georgia. (Miller, 12/11)
The Hill: Virginia Warns Children Could Lose Coverage Without Action On CHIP
Virginia is planning to send a letter to enrollees in the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) on Tuesday that they could lose their coverage on Jan. 31 if Congress does not renew the funding. CHIP’s authorization expired on Sept. 30, and states are now nearing the point where they will run out of funds. Congress is expected to renew funds for the program either this month or next, but the uncertainty from not having acted yet is leading some states to warn enrollees about the possibility of losing coverage if Congress does not act. (Sullivan, 12/11)
Arizona Republic: Ducey Was Quiet On Funding Request For Kids Health Care, Until He Heard From The Media
It took media inquiries in late October to figure out Gov. Doug Ducey's position on whether Congress should renew funding for a children's health-insurance program. The short answer: He supports kids. But a records request by The Arizona Republic filed before talking to the governor found Ducey wasn't doing much outreach to the folks who could make a difference — at least not until reporters started asking about it. (Pitzi, 12/11)
Dallas Morning News: Texas Families Distraught About Losing Children's Health Care If Congress Doesn't Fund CHIP
Congress has two more weeks to fund CHIP after the House and Senate approved a spending bill Thursday that keeps the government open until Dec. 22. The stopgap legislation also gives money to several states that are running out of funds to keep CHIP going. On Friday, El Paso Rep. Beto O’Rourke and 98 other Democratic representatives sent a letter to Congressional leaders urging them to approve CHIP funding quickly. (Wang, 12/11)
The Hill: Vermont, NH Senators Call For Renewal Of Lapsed Health Center Funding
Vermont and New Hampshire’s senators are urging Senate leaders to work to pass legislation funding community health centers after a major source of their federal dollars lapsed Sept. 30. Community health centers are a large source of comprehensive primary care for some of the nation’s most vulnerable, serving 27 million people. They take any patient who walks in their doors, regardless of if they have insurance, and Congress let a fund expire that represents 70 percent of their federal grant revenue. (Roubein, 12/11)
