Dr. Jennifer L. Howse, president of the March of Dimes, issued the following statement as the U.S. Senate approved the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) reauthorization bill:
“The Senate’s strong bi-partisan vote to reauthorize CHIP sends a welcome message that this vital program must be continued and improved. As study after study has shown, health insurance is essential for children to access preventive health services and life saving specialty care when they need it. The bill approved by the Senate would enable states to maintain coverage for more than 6 million infants and children who are currently enrolled in the program and would allow states to expand coverage to an additional 3.3 million uninsured children.
“Of particular importance to the March of Dimes is a provision of the Senate bill that will permit states to cover uninsured pregnant women who meet CHIP’s income guidelines. Having access to the full spectrum of maternity services – prenatal to post-partum care – will improve birth outcomes by reducing risk for both the mother and her baby. The Foundation is also pleased that the bill approved by the Senate contains a series of provisions designed to improve the quality of pediatric care and bring greater accountability to this important program.
“On behalf of the March of Dimes, I thank the Senate for the strong bipartisan vote of support for this important bill and extend my thanks to Chairman Baucus (D-MT), Ranking Member Grassley (R-IA), Health Subcommittee Chairman Rockefeller (D-WV), and Ranking Member Hatch (R-UT) and for their visionary and effective leadership.
“The March of Dimes looks forward to working with Members from both sides of the aisle to craft a conference agreement that the President will be proud to sign."
The March of Dimes is a national voluntary health agency whose mission is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defect, premature birth, and infant mortality. Founded in 1938, the March of Dimes funds programs of research, community services, education, and advocacy and in 2003 launched a multi-year campaign to address the increasing rate of premature birth. For more information, visit the March of Dimes Web site at marchofdimes.com or its Spanish Web site at nacersano.org.
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