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Statement of ACAP on Bill to Extend CHIP Funding for Five Years
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 2, 2017
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Jeff Van Ness, (202) 204-7515
STATEMENT OF ACAP CEO MARGARET A. MURRAY
ON BILL TO EXTEND CHIP FUNDING FOR FIVE YEARS
WASHINGTON—Margaret A. Murray, CEO of the Association for Community Affiliated Plans (ACAP), issued the following statement on the eve of an anticipated vote on H.R. 3922, the CHAMPIONING HEALTHY KIDS Act, which would fund the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) for five years:
“Nearly nine million children rely on CHIP for coverage. As such, it’s crucial to assure continuing smooth operation of the CHIP program, and we’re pleased that this bill would bring stability to the program and to millions of families for the next five years.
“ACAP-member Safety Net Health Plans serve more than 500,000 children through standalone CHIP programs, and many more who qualify through expanded eligibility criteria for Medicaid.
“We support this bill because it brings stability to the CHIP program through 2022. This is a needed investment in our future: funding CHIP for five years is the right thing to do. Health coverage for children is something we can’t afford to leave to the push and pull of daily politics.
“Accordingly, we urge Congress to work in a bipartisan fashion to pass this legislation quickly, and look forward to working with members of the House and Senate on both sides of the aisle to strengthen the CHIP program and protect children in need of health coverage.”
About ACAP
ACAP represents 61 not-for-profit Safety Net Health Plans in 29 states, which collectively serve more than 21 million people enrolled in Medicaid, Medicare, Marketplaces, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and other health programs. For more information, visit www.communityplans.net.
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