Congress has decided to take swift action on the State Children’s Health Insurance Program that President Bush vetoed twice last year. We must support this opportunity to expand health care for an additional 4 million children, and the bills will be introduced and voted on in both houses of Congress THIS WEEK. 

This legislation expands health care for kids who are in working families that make too much to qualify for Medicaid, but who don’t make enough to afford private insurance. More than 1 million children have lost their health coverage because their parents were laid off and lost their employer-based coverage over the past year.

Three Steps to Children’s Health Care--Calls are needed immediately 

Please make three calls-- to both of your Senators and to your Representative -- to show your support for expanding health care for more children in the U.S.

Toll free number: 1-800-828-0498

Step 1) Call Senator Kit Bond

Step 2) Senator Claire McCaskill

Step 3) Call your US Representative 
                Look up your Representative HERE

Then email Health Care Organizer Amy Smoucha to report your calls.
    
Note:  You can send a letter with the tool on the left, but calls are more effective and SCHIP is moving very quickly! 

SAMPLE Message to Congress:

My name is _____________________ and I live in City, State. I strongly believe that ALL Children should have health care. I urge you to support reauthorizing the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) so millions of uninsured children can get health coverage. I want you to include ALL children in the package and extend this help to as many families as you can.

With our economy in crisis, the State Children’s Health Insurance Program is more important than ever. The proposed legislation would provide essential health coverage to those kids already enrolled in the program and allow an additional 4 million children to qualify for coverage.