Dear Editor:
I am writing to commend President Obama’s recent signing of a bill which would extend health coverage to four million uninsured children. Essentially, the bill calls for spending an additional $32.8 billion on the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, known as SCHIP, which now enrolls an estimated seven million children throughout the United States.
SCHIP was created more than a decade ago to help children in families with incomes that are too high to qualify for Medicaid but too low to afford private coverage.
The funding of this program comes during a critical era in our nation’s history, as families continue to feel the effect of a downtrodden economy. Jobs which provided health insurance coverage for young people are being slashed at record rates, eliminating opportunities for decent and deserved healthcare for children.
As a member of the New Jersey Senate, I remain supportive of both legislation and initiatives which offer a higher standard of healthcare for residents, just as it is important that we expand healthcare availability.
Furthermore, it is imperative that we remain cognizant of what residents may be enduring in these difficult economic times as families struggle to care for their children.
In the coming months, I look forward to working with officials to advance similar movements, providing much needed care for our young people and families.
Sincerely,
Brian P. Stack
State Senator, 33rd District