Statement by Children's Health Fund on Protecting Medicaid and CHIP

Children's Health Fund Doctors Speak Up to Super Committee: Don't Cut Medicaid

NEW YORK, Oct. 25, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Children's Health Fund (CHF) released a video containing statements from legendary singer/songwriter and CHF co-Founder, Paul Simon, CHF President and co-Founder, Irwin Redlener, MD and Medical Directors from CHF programs across the country addressing the impact that potential cuts to Medicaid and CHIP would have on kids. CHF doctors provide pediatric care to some of the nation's most medically underserved children and communities and have witnessed the critical impact of Medicaid and CHIP, the nation's healthcare safety net programs. CHF strongly urges the Super Committee to hold children harmless in negotiations surrounding the federal budget, as cuts to these programs will have a disastrous impact on a generation of children.

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"Medicaid and the Child Health Insurance Program are the two most important safety net programs for children. These must be preserved no matter what else changes in our country," said Irwin Redlener, MD, CHF president and co-founder.

"When you start to cut the funds for Medicaid and CHIP you see children suffer. You see children going without vaccine coverage; not getting treated for chronic medical problems. Some children will have problems that land them in the hospital or in the emergency room. And some children are going to do poor in school because of it and then we will all pay as a society because we decided to cut services to children," said Dr. Randy Christensen, Medical Director, Phoenix Children's Health Project.

"In West Virginia, 45% of children depend on Medicaid and CHIP. I know that legislators have many tough decisions to make, but I urge…no, I challenge them to put themselves in the place of the millions of hard-working families—realize that the decisions that they make affect real people," said Dr. Isabel Pino, Medical Director, West Virginia Children's Health Project.

To view the video visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTRmglTAlTs

Children's Health Fund
Founded in 1987 by singer/songwriter Paul Simon and pediatrician/advocate Irwin Redlener, M.D., Children's Health Fund (CHF) is the nation's leading pediatric provider of mobile-based health care for homeless and low-income children and their families. CHF's mission is to bring health care directly to those in need through the development and support of innovative medical programs, response to public health crises, and the promotion of guaranteed access to health care for all children. CHF currently has 50 mobile clinics serving hundreds of locations across the country. Over the past 24 years, the organization has supported more than two million health care visits for disadvantaged children, often in places where doctors and health care providers are in short supply. For more information about CHF, visit www.childrenshealthfund.org.

SOURCE Children's Health Fund