On Thursday (today), the U.S. House will vote on the Improved SCHIP (State Children's Health Insurance Program) bill?

The improved bill addresses many of the objections of Tennessee Congressional members David Davis, John Duncan, Zack Wamp, and Marsha Blackburn!

The improved SCHIP bill does the following:

1. States will not receive federal matching funds for children above 300%, 3 times poverty. CoverKids in Tennessee covers children up to 250% of poverty.
2. For states to receive extra payments, they must enroll low-income children first, below 200% of poverty, 2 times poverty.
3. States that cover low-income childless adults have one year to phase our their coverage. Tennessee does not do this.
4. Requires states to implement best practices to minimize dropping private coverage for SCHIP coverage. Tennessee requires children to have been uninsured for 3 months before they are eligible for CoverKids. States can now offer premium assistance to help families maintain private coverage.
5. Tightens requirements for documenting citizenship and covering only American children. Tennessee requires citizenship verification.
6. Will continue coverage for the 6 million children now covered and expand coverage to an additional 4 million uninsured children. Tennessee has 125,000 uninsured children below 250% of poverty.

Please call your U.S. Representative today toll-free, 1-800-828-0498. Let's see if we can change the votes of Congresspersons Davis, Duncan, Wamp, and Blackburn from "NO" to "YES".

Message to those who voted "NO": I urge you to vote YES for the improved children's health insurance bill. As a person who cares for the most vulnerable among us, I believe that your concerns about this bill have been addressed and that it's time for you to vote YES for the children in Tennessee.

Message to Congresspersons Cooper, Tanner, Gordon, Lincoln Davis, and Cohen who voted "YES": Thank you for supporting the children's health insurance bill. Thank you for continuing to make our children a national priority and for voting YES for the improved children's health care bill.

We expect that the U.S. Senate will vote on the improved bill next week. Then it will go to the President to either "sign" or "veto."

Pass this to on to friends and ask them to make the call. 125,000 children in Tennessee are depending on you to make the call.

Sincerely,

Tony Garr, Tennessee Health Care Campaign, tgarr@thcc2.org
1- 877- 431- 7083 Toll Free