NYT: Governors Worry Over Money for Child Health Program: Express alarm, appeal to Bush, Congress

[DeepModem Mom]

Governors Worry Over Money for Child Health Program
By ROBERT PEAR
Published: February 25, 2007

WASHINGTON, Feb. 24 — As the National Governors Association began its winter meeting, 13 governors expressed alarm on Saturday that they were about to run out of federal money for a popular program that provides health insurance to children.

They appealed to Congress and the Bush administration for swift action to protect hundreds of thousands of children who could lose benefits. The full association is poised to endorse that appeal.

In a letter to the Democratic and Republican leaders of Congress, the 13 governors said that “health insurance for some of our states’ most vulnerable citizens is in jeopardy.”

“Without quick Congressional action,” the letter said, “our states, all facing federal shortfalls, will be forced to make harsh decisions affecting the lives of thousands of families.”...

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The program in question, the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, covers more than six million children in families that have too much income to qualify for Medicaid but not enough to buy private insurance....

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/25/us/25govs.html