Dear Editor:
Many families narrowly exceed the threshold for Medicaid assistance yet still cannot afford the increasingly high cost of health insurance premiums. These low to middle-income families have greatly benefited from the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), but the program's funding ends Sept. 30, unless Congress reauthorizes it.
Millions of children nationally are at risk of losing health insurance if CHIP goes away. About 78,000 of those children are here in Missouri. For perspective, that's more individuals than a packed house at Faurot Field for a Mizzou home game.
Our state, nation and society are stronger when we support the well-being of children. With health care needs of their children met, families can focus on making decisions in other areas of life that could lift them out of poverty. And when children are healthy, they do better in school. When they do better in school, they are more likely to succeed. When they succeed, they break the cycles of poverty.
CHIP is essential for our state, our communities, our families, and our children.