Voices, HHS Secretary redouble efforts to insure children

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius renews challenge to improve enrollment, Voices accepts

WASHINGTON – Voices for America’s Children, the nation’s largest network of multi-issue child advocacy groups, announced today that it has accepted U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius’s renewed challenge to work toward greater child enrollment in state health services.

“The organizations which make up the Voices for America’s Children network touch the lives of children in every state and community in America, and I know that working with families, states and communities to ensure that all children have health care coverage has been a long time priority for [Voices],” said Kathleen Sebelius in a recent tape recorded statement to Voices. “That’s why I’m so excited that Voices for America’s Children is taking up my ‘Connecting Kids to Coverage’ challenge.”

Secretary Sebelius first issued the challenge following the renewal of the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), which helps provide health care to children of families with incomes too high for Medicaid and too low to buy insurance privately. As states like Ohio have made progress in improving their enrollment rates in Medicaid and CHIP, she reissued the challenge at a press event today in Washington.

The Voices for America’s Children nationwide network of child advocacy groups was instrumental in the passage of the reauthorized CHIP in February 2009.

“Nearly 5 million children across America are eligible for health services but not enrolled,” said Bill Bentley, president and CEO of Voices for America’s Children. “We stand with Secretary Sebelius in encouraging federal officials, state agencies and health care providers to voluntarily work toward spreading wellness to all America’s children.”

A new report released today by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) shows that while low-income children are more likely to be uninsured, where they live can also correlate strongly with low enrollment.  The report, Uninsured Children: Who Are They and Where Do They Live?, shows that children in Massachusetts have less than 5 percent unenrollment, while that rate is more than 20 percent in Utah, for example.

“The reauthorization of CHIP and the passage of health reform were big wins for children, but passing legislation is only the first step in getting kids covered.” said Karen Crompton, executive director of Voices for Utah Children, a member of the Voices network.  “It’s up to us to finish the job of connecting children with the health coverage they need and are entitled to.”

“Collaboration with families, community groups, providers and policymakers is key to living up to the Secretary’s Challenge,” said Amy Swanson, executive director at Voices for Ohio’s Children, a member of the Voices network. “The Children’s Health Insurance Program has been a tremendous success, and now is the time to build on it and guarantee the health of our most vulnerable.”

# # #

As the nation’s largest network of multi-issue child advocacy organizations, Voices for America’s Children (Voices) has been on the forefront of every major child policy victory for the past quarter-century. With 60 members nationwide, Voices speaks up for kids, and mobilizes and advocates for public policies to improve the lives of all children, especially those most vulnerable, throughout the United States. Visit us at www.voices.org.

Voices is a founding member of the Children’s Leadership Council, a coalition of more than 50 leading national policy and advocacy organizations. www.childrensleadershipcouncil.com.