Help Protect Uninsured Children and Families!

The Planned Parenthood Prevention First! Agenda that we have been promoting all summer takes center stage today as Congress debates a health care bill that would provide health insurance for millions of low-income children and adults.  The State Children's Health Insurance Program —  or SCHIP — bill would ensure that children and pregnant women get access to quality, affordable health insurance.

Please urge your members of Congress to pass the SCHIP bill and provide millions of children and families with desperately needed health insurance.

Today, approximately nine million children have no health insurance.  This bill would give states the resources they need to enroll  up to four  million more uninsured children and get them the preventive care they need.  SCHIP would strengthen America's health care safety net by providing for our nation’s most vulnerable children.

Passing this health insurance bill is the most important task before Congress this year.  Every child in America deserves health care. 

Urge your members of Congress to support commonsense, preventive legislation by passing the SCHIP bill today  and  override a promised Presidential Veto of SCHIP. 

Thanks for your support.

Sample Letter for Campaign

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

On behalf of millions of low-income and uninsured kids, I urge you to vote to reauthorize the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) and override a promised veto by the President that would prevent four million children from getting a healthy start in life. SCHIP will ensure access to quality, affordable health care for our nation?s most vulnerable children.

SCHIP is the essence of what preventive legislation is all about. Without health coverage, many children forgo regular checkups and doctor visits, often resulting in needless suffering, avoidable complications, and costly trips to the emergency room that strain our health care system. Many expensive and lengthy treatments could be avoided with regular preventive care.

It is critical that you support passage of the SCHIP reauthorization bill. Four million uninsured children are waiting for you to help them access important preventive health care services. An additional six million children face losing health care coverage if you fail to reauthorize SCHIP before September 30. As your constituent, I want to see this Congress pass commonsense, preventive SCHIP legislation.

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
September 24, 2007