Campaign Seeks Help For Millions Without Health Insurance

This year, SCHIP must be reauthorized by Congress in order to continue. The current funding levels for these state programs-set in 1997-are not adequate to keep up with the growing numbers of uninsured kids, so it will take an increase in federal funding just to cover kids currently enrolled in these programs, with more money needed to help the millions more uninsured children.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is focusing its Cover the Uninsured campaign in 2007 on the need for children to have health insurance. Now in its fifth year, the campaign is the largest mobilization in history to shine a national spotlight on the need to secure health coverage for all Americans. The Foundation and the broad network of business owners, union members, teachers, students, consumers, doctors, nurses, faith leaders and others involved in this campaign are planning activities that highlight the success of SCHIP, demonstrate the ongoing need for ensuring that children have health coverage and enroll eligible families in insurance programs.

"The country's most successful effort to cover kids is in danger unless Congress and the president act decisively to reauthorize and expand SCHIP," said Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, M.D., M.B.A., president and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. "If they fail to renew and adequately fund the program, they will be abandoning millions of uninsured children, and the nation will lose an important opportunity to make further progress in covering the uninsured."

The centerpiece of the effort is Cover the Uninsured Week, to be held April 23-29, 2007. Activities during the Week will include press conferences, enrollment activities, community forums, seminars for small businesses, educational events on campuses, faith-based activities and more.

"Covering children is an important first step in covering all Americans, and SCHIP is critical to achieving that goal," said Lavizzo-Mourey. "There has never been a more important time for us to come together and support federal efforts to provide health coverage to children. Congress must properly fund SCHIP and make America's uninsured their top priority."

In addition to pushing for SCHIP reauthorization and expansion, organizations nationwide will host events to enroll eligible children in existing public programs, such as SCHIP and Medicaid.

More information about the campaign and Cover the Uninsured Week activities is available at www.CoverTheUninsured.org

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