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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsStates prepare to shut down childrens health programs if Congress doesnt act
By Colby Itkowitz and Sandhya Somashekhar November 23 at 3:32 PM
Officials in nearly a dozen states are preparing to notify families that a crucial health insurance program for low-income children is running out of money for the first time since its creation two decades ago, putting coverage for many at risk by the end of the year.
Congress missed a Sept. 30 deadline to extend funding for CHIP, as the Childrens Health Insurance Program is known. Nearly 9 million youngsters and 370,000 pregnant women nationwide receive care because of it.
Many states have enough money to keep their individual programs afloat for at least a few months, but five could run out in late December if lawmakers do not act. Others will start to exhaust resources the following month. The looming crunch, which comes despite CHIPs enduring popularity and bipartisan support on Capitol Hill, has dismayed childrens health advocates.
We are very concerned, and the reason is that Congress hasnt shown a strong ability to get stuff done, said Bruce Lesley, president of Washington-based First Focus, a child and family advocacy organization. And the administration is completely out, has not even uttered a syllable on the issue. How this gets resolved is really unclear, and states are beginning to hit deadlines.
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https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/states-prepare-to-shut-down-childrens-health-programs-if-congress-doesnt-act/2017/11/23/01a6169e-ba7d-11e7-be94-fabb0f1e9ffb_story.html
Hortensis
(58,785 posts)Link to tweet
The GOP's actions are revealing that all our worst suspicions are true, that the ultimate goal is transfer of power to a ruling class of the same people who are already directing the actions of their Banana Republicans. Replacement of all government programs with self reliance, and begging for a charity which is already tired of all the need.
How to wake up the rest of the electorate before they increase and consolidate the power they've gained? To allow them to see truth and recognize evil through the fog of lies and fake equalizations?
Could not funding the CHIP program shine a light for those who've refused to see? At one time I'd have never thought the Kochs and their ilk would be stupid and greedy enough to do that at this point, this soon, but their actions show there's a real chance they will be.
As for hurt to some impoverished children now. Yes. But many states won't run out of money for some months, and short-term results are nothing to what's waiting at the end of the road the Banana Republic billionaires are building. Our very best means of stopping it may not be our own actions but the GOP's actions that GOTV.
dalton99a
(81,708 posts)Irish_Dem
(48,097 posts)After all, anyone who is not the 1% is just a useless eater.
N_E_1 for Tennis
(9,804 posts)Kill them after they're out.
This has been the Christian Republican M.O. for quite a while.
spanone
(135,950 posts)heartless fucks
MineralMan
(146,351 posts)They want to make it so only the fittest, healthiest children survive.
Ugh!
dembotoz
(16,866 posts)Cause they have to hear it in public