Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Dean Heller (R-Nev.) recently urged Senate leaders to swiftly advance a renewal of federal funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), which provides medical coverage and care to vulnerable children in Nevada, and across the country, who otherwise may not get care.
In a letter sent to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Senators Cortez Masto and Heller noted the Nevada Checkup program provides health care to more than 27,000 children in Nevada. The Senators stressed their support for the program and the critical importance of quickly moving to ensure that children and families who rely on the program do not see a lapse in coverage.
“As current reauthorization funding for CHIP expired on September 30, 2017, Nevada was projected to run out of current funding on or around December 15, 2017. While this news was concerning, we are pleased that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has announced it will provide Nevada with additional redistribution funding in December and January and remain hopeful that Congress will act swiftly to provide stability and certainty for CHIP,” the Senators wrote. “As you continue working towards a path forward on CHIP reauthorization, we urge you to swiftly advance a renewal of federal funding for this program that will provide children and families in Nevada, and across the nation, with the certainty they deserve.”
The letter reads in full:
November 30, 2017
The Honorable Mitch McConnell The Honorable Charles Schumer
Majority Leader Democratic Leader
United States Senate United States Senate
S-230 U.S. Capitol S-221 U.S. Capitol
Washington, DC 20510 Washington, DC 20510
Dear Majority Leader McConnell and Democratic Leader Schumer:
We write to you today concerning the vital importance of reauthorizing the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). We appreciate your support of this critical program that provides children in Nevada, and across the nation, with affordable, quality care.
The Nevada Checkup program provides health care to more than 27,000 children in our state. As strong supporters of this important program, we wish to reiterate our support and desire to ensure children and families who rely on this program do not see a lapse in coverage.
As current reauthorization funding for CHIP expired on September 30, 2017, Nevada was projected to run out of current funding on or around December 15, 2017. While this news was concerning, we are pleased that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has announced it will provide Nevada with additional redistribution funding in December and January and remain hopeful that Congress will act swiftly to provide stability and certainty for CHIP.
We are also pleased to see that the Senate Finance Committee has played a critical role in moving forward a long-term reauthorization of CHIP under the leadership of Chairman Hatch and Ranking Member Wyden. This bipartisan legislation, the Keeping Kids’ Insurance Dependable and Secure (KIDS) Act (S.1827), was approved by the Finance Committee on October 4, 2017, and would extend funding for CHIP for five years, as well as provide additional protections for low-income children and increase flexibility for states.
As you continue working towards a path forward on CHIP reauthorization, we urge you to swiftly advance a renewal of federal funding for this program that will provide children and families in Nevada, and across the nation, with the certainty they deserve.
Thank you for your attention to this important issue. We look forward to working with you to provide needed stability for vulnerable children in Nevada, and across the nation.
Sincerely,
Dean Heller Catherine Cortez Masto
United States Senator United States Senator
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