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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, November 30, 2006
For Media Assistance
Sacramento – Children's advocates, business representatives
and religious organizations came together at the State
Capitol today to urge Governor Schwarzenegger to make
health coverage for all children the top priority in
his health care reform plans for 2007. With 763,000 uninsured
children and local children's health initiatives struggling
to keep pace with demand, Californians for Healthy Kids – led
by the 100% Campaign and PICO California – called
on the Governor to act now to create a long-term, statewide
solution for uninsured children across the state.
Jim Keddy, director, PICO California, stated, "While
we applaud the Governor's recent remarks regarding the
need to insure all Californians, we urge him to put children
first on his health care reform plan. By laying out a
clear plan for children's health coverage in his January
State of the State address, the Governor will make progress
towards fulfilling his earlier pledge to children."
With the defeat of Proposition 86, a tobacco tax that
would have ensured affordable health insurance access
for all California children, approximately 763,000 children
in California remain uninsured. While local Children's
Health Initiatives (CHIs) have provided health coverage
to more than 86,000 uninsured children who are not eligible
for state health insurance programs, a statewide system
is needed to provide sustainable funding to ensure that
all children in California have access to health insurance.
Local CHIs provide successful models for a statewide
system to cover all children, but they do not have long-term
financial sustainability. Furthermore, there are nearly
12,000 children on waiting lists for these local programs.
If California does not act quickly to provide a statewide
solution for children's health insurance, children will
lose coverage.
"The people of California want coverage for all
children. It is time for our elected officials to make
this their most urgent priority," said Deena Lahn,
policy director, Children's Defense Fund California. "Children
grow up fast and can't wait for health care. Every year
that a child goes without access to consistent health
care, they miss out on needed preventive care and risk
developing chronic conditions."
We are closer than ever to achieving health coverage
for all children. Over the past year, the Governor, Legislature,
and children's health advocates have joined to improve
the Medi-Cal and Healthy Families programs and increase
coverage for children. However, we are at risk of going
backwards if our leaders do not act now.
"If there ever was a time when all the forces lined
up to move an issue forward, it is now, and that issue
is insuring all kids. Covering kids in 2007 puts us on
the road to health reform by delivering tangible benefits
to California families now. We are so close to securing
this huge legacy for our children, our Governor and legislature,
and our state," said Wendy Lazarus, founder and
co-president, The Children's Partnership.
Today, Californians for Healthy Kids called on the
Governor to include in his 2007-08 budget the funding
and policy to create a statewide system to cover all
children while ensuring that children enrolled in local
health insurance programs don't lose coverage. Californians
for Healthy Kids also announced the launch of a grassroots
campaign, including a web site (www.fulfillthepledge.org)
and letter writing effort, to urge action on statewide
children's health insurance in 2007.
"The Governor set the goal of providing health
coverage for all kids; we need his continued leadership
today to meet this target. With so many children lacking
health insurance and many on waiting lists, now is the
time for the Governor to fulfill his pledge," said
Ted Lempert, president, Children Now.
The 100% Campaign, a collaborative
effort of Children Now, Children's Defense Fund and The
Children's Partnership, with primary funding from The
California Endowment, was created to ensure that all
of California's children obtain the health coverage they
need to grow up strong and healthy.
The PICO California Project is the united effort
of 20 California congregation-community organizations
affiliated with the PICO National Network. Collectively,
we represent 350 congregations and 400,000 families statewide
and are actively organizing in over 70 cities in Northern
and Southern California.
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