The Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) currently covers about nine million children and over 300,000 pregnant woman whose families make just over the maximum level for Medicaid. Without the support of both federal and state dollars, families covered by CHIP would not have access to affordable medical care.

The bill’s funding differs by state because each state partially funds and individually runs its program. But without federal funding support, most, if not all, states will shut the programs down. The only questions is how soon the states will run out of funds and have to discontinue or severely curtail their programs. 

The ISD Editorial Board believes Congress should stop playing games and pass a clean CHIP bill that extends the program, without making it contingent on a border wall, or on the DACA program or on a continuing resolution bill. The CHIP program was initially a bipartisan effort that all parties could be proud of. Congress members now should be ashamed of their use of this bill as a political football.

Children are vulnerable and need medical care; they can’t get it without assistance. Some chronically ill children cannot make appointments required for a long treatment plan because their care-givers do not know if or when their state program will be discontinued. Parents have already had to forgo needed care. And Congress officially approves of CHIP and wants to extend it.

At a town hall meeting on Monday, Senator Joni Ernst said she wholeheartedly supports CHIP. But she complained that the government was extending it on a short-term basis and imposing conditions. Senator Ernst didn’t mention that if the Republicans proposed a CHIP bill without conditions and contingencies, the Democrats would support it. What is happening instead is that the bill is being used as a bargaining wedge to play political games.

That is shameful. Congress should act in a straightforward fashion and pass a bill no Congressman or woman should oppose.