Congressmen Tim Murphy and Patrick Murphy Introduce Children's Health Insurance Act

Congressman Tim Murphy (R-PA, 18th District) and Congressman Patrick Murphy (D- PA, 8th District) today announced the introduction of the Children's Health Insurance Accessibility (CHIA) Act, a bipartisan bill that will ensure expanded access to quality, affordable healthcare for needy children by removing unnecessary barriers to SCHIP enrolment. Specifically, the legislation provides exemptions from states' SCHIP waiting period requirements for children who have lost group health insurance coverage due to a parent's job loss, children under the age of two, or children whose families face unaffordable out-of-pocket medical costs. The legislation has drawn wide support from a number of dedicated healthcare advocacy organizations, including Families USA, the Catholic Health Association, and the Children's Defense Fund.

"As a healthcare provider who has worked in a hospital setting, I've seen firsthand the devastating effect on children who don't have healthcare. Providing a child with a healthy start in life is crucial to their physical and emotional development. A healthy child is more likely to do better in school and lead a productive life later on. SCHIP serves those children who have no other healthcare options," said Congressman Tim Murphy.

Pennsylvania has a six-month waiting period before being able to enroll in SCHIP. Pennsylvania, acting on the advice on pediatricians, exempts toddlers from these waiting periods. Pennsylvania has always been a leader when it comes to providing healthcare coverage for children where about 96% of kids have health insurance.

"I'm so proud to have worked with my Republican colleague, Tim Murphy, on this legislation," said Congressman Patrick Murphy. "Parents shouldn't have to face impossible choices between providing healthcare for their kids and paying for groceries. Making SCHIP enrollment easier for millions of vulnerable children means fewer families won't be making that choice."

"The Children's Health Insurance Accessibility Act is just good common sense: children's health should not suffer because of a troubled economy," said Rachel Klein, Deputy Director of Health Policy at Families USA. "This bill will help young children obtain health coverage without unnecessary delays, ensuring they can access the healthcare services they need for a healthy start in life."
Every state offers the State Children's Health Insurance Program - SCHIP. Created in 1997 and recently expanded, SCHIP will soon provide health insurance to 11 million low-income children by covering children from working families with incomes too high to qualify for Medicaid, but too low for private insurance to be affordable.

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