SENATOR COLLINS TO VOTE TO EXTEND CHILDREN’S HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM

U.S. Senator Susan Collins will vote today to extend the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). Senator Collins is a leading supporter of the successful program that provides health insurance to low-income children throughout the country. The 1997 legislation to create the program was one of the first bills Senator Collins co-sponsored when she was first elected to the Senate.

The legislation approved by the Senate would increase SCHIP funding by $32.8 billion and is estimated to cover an additional 4.1 million low-income children over the next four-and-a-half years.

The bill also includes provisions backed by Senator Collins that would provide greater dental coverage for low-income children, require plans offering mental health benefits to provide coverage that is equivalent to other health services, and give states the option of covering low-income pregnant women.

"This bill is a prescription for good health for millions of our nation's low-income children. SCHIP has been a tremendous success and has made such a difference to so many families. While I wish that the process had been more bipartisan, I am pleased to support this bill which will extend and expand a program vital to low-income children throughout the nation." said Senator Collins.

"Since 1997, the SCHIP program has contributed to a one-third decline in the number of uninsured low-income children. Today, an estimated 6.7 million children, including more than 14,400 children living in Maine, receive health care coverage through this program. Still there is more that we could do to further decrease the number of uninsured low-income children. While Maine ranks among the top four states in reducing the number of uninsured children, we still have more than 20,000 children in our state who lack coverage," Senator Collins added.