CHIP: Kids' critical care

What will it take for Congress to act on funding the bipartisan Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)? When my son Brady was born with Cystic Fibrosis in 2007, my husband and I were completely shocked, and frightened about our ability to provide everything he needed to manage his complex disease. CHIP was there for our family, and helped us all survive the darkest, scariest time of our lives. There is absolutely no question that CHIP is a vital program for Idaho’s most vulnerable children. The fact that Congress has failed to act on funding this program is a referendum on the ethical priorities of our elected officials.

As a mother, I am aghast that Idaho lawmakers have failed to act to authorize funding for CHIP. Must Idaho’s children die on the doorsteps of the Capitol building before Congress takes notice? There is a moral issue here, and Idaho’s lawmakers FAIL every single day that CHIP funding is ignored. It is heart-breaking to understand how many families are spending the holidays in anxiety and fear, knowing that CHIP dollars will soon run dry in Idaho. I urge Congress to act now to ensure that Idaho’s children don’t lose access to the care they deserve.

REBECCA SCHROEDER

Coeur d’Alene