Congressman Chandler Supports Health Insurance Legislation for Children

Press Release

Congressman Chandler Supports Health Insurance Legislation for Children

47,000 more Kentucky children will receive health insurance under new law

Congressman Chandler cast his vote for Kentucky children today by supporting the reauthorization of the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). The reauthorization of this program will help the Commonwealth provide health insurance to 53% of the nearly 90,000 children currently uninsured in Kentucky. President Obama signed the bill into law this afternoon.

"I voted for this bill with a clear understanding that it will greatly strengthen the health, long-term savings, and moral conscience of our nation," Chandler said. "In these hard economic times, this legislation could help cover the loss of employer-sponsored healthcare and prevent costly trips to the emergency room, lowering healthcare costs nationwide."

The law will abide by the pay-as-you-go principle, requiring that all new direct government spending be saved elsewhere. According to the House Ways and Means Committee, to offset the costs of this bill, an increase in the federal tobacco tax will generate an additional $32.8 billion over the next four and a half years. The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids states that this increase in the tobacco tax means that approximately 1.9 million fewer children will take up smoking.

"As the proud father of three kids, I can't imagine anything more important than their health and well-being," Chandler added. "Healthy children become healthy adults, and there is little, if nothing, more vital to our country than the long-term health of the next generation of American adults."

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