Republican and Democrat members of Congress from Virginia are asking senate leaders to take action to reauthorize the Children’s Health Insurance Program.
Rep. Dave Brat, R-Richmond, issued a joint statement Thursday with five other Virginia representatives in support of reinstating the program set to run out in Virginia by January 31, impacting some 66,000 children and 1,100 pregnant women.
“Last week the House included legislative language in our funding bill to ensure sufficient funding through the end of the year for CHIP,” Brat said in the statement that’s part of a letter addressed to Senate Majority Leader Mitchell McConnell and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.
“In the same manner, I know the House and Senate will ensure any additional funding bills provide the program with the necessary resources. Both sides of the aisle agree CHIP is a vital program that benefits countless Virginia families and so folks back home can rest assured and know we are committed to fully funding and reauthorizing it in the future,” said the letter, also endorsed by Virginia Reps. Bob Goodlatte, Rob Wittman, Scott Taylor, Tom Garrett and Barbara Comstock.
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In Virginia, CHIP is administered as the Family Access to Medical Insurance Security, or FAMIS.
U.S. Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner, Democrats from Virginia, issued a joint statement Monday in support of keeping the program even as families were already being notified that it might run out.
“We asked Senator McConnell multiple times to help us support the 66,000 children and 1,100 pregnant women in Virginia who receive their health care through the CHIP program, but Republican leadership still hasn’t brought it forward for a vote,” the senators said. “There is a bipartisan bill on the table, and it’s critical that we pass it before Congress leaves for the holidays so we can give some peace of mind to Virginia parents who are worried about whether their children will have health insurance in the new year.”
According to Culpeper Town Councilwoman, there are about 6,600 children and pregnant women in Congressional District 7 – that includes Culpeper and Orange counties – who would be impacted if CHIP is not funded.
In the last two fiscal years, FAMIS has paid for 218,190 immunizations and 221,309 well-child checkups, according to Gov. Terry McAuliffe.
Because federal law restricts how states can scale back coverage, federally mandated coverage will continue, with Virginia required to take on a much larger share of the cost, according to the governor. In addition to the 66,000 children who would lose coverage entirely, approximately 59,000 Virginia children would be switched to Medicaid if CHIP is not funded, he said.