OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

SCHIP

Date: March 6, 2007
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Minors and Children Health and Health Care


SCHIP

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to speak about the immediate crisis in Georgia's PeachCare program.

Georgia's SCHIP program is expected to have $131 million in shortfall this fiscal year. This shortfall has forced the Georgia Department of Community Health to announce that by March 11, in only 5 days, it will no longer accept new enrollees. This means that by next week nearly 300,000 children in Georgia will remain uninsured and unable to participate in this hugely successful program.

The leadership in the Georgia General Assembly seems to think that eliminating some children from the program will help resolve the PeachCare crisis. The Governor has so far not stated publicly that he will use available State money to sustain PeachCare during this shortfall crisis. And Congress, for its part, has been unable to act quickly enough to appropriate the funds that Georgia and the other 13 shortfall States need.

The Georgia General Assembly, the Governor, and the Congress must act immediately to save the PeachCare program. Georgia must continue to provide health care to children who are currently enrolled in the PeachCare program and to all of those children who are eligible for the program.

Long live the Dixie Chicks.

http://thomas.loc.gov

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