Now in its fifth year, Cover the Uninsured Week brings together business owners, union members, educators, students, patients, physicians, nurses, faith leaders and their congregants, and organizations in all 50 states and the District of Columbia to demand that our nation's leaders find solutions for the nearly 45 million Americans living without health insurance. What started in 2003 as a week-long effort to raise awareness has become a nationwide movement to make sure that this issue is a top national priority. Each year, Cover the Uninsured Week gains momentum as thousands of people organize events and activities on behalf of America's uninsured.
You have a chance to speak out....
Ten years ago, Congress created the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) to cover kids whose parents work but can't afford health insurance on their own. Thanks to SCHIP, millions of children can now see a doctor when they are sick and get the care they need to stay healthy. But there are 9 million more children--more than the total number of kids enrolled in the first and second grades in U.S. public schools--still living without health coverage. This year, Congress must reauthorize SCHIP for it to continue. Congress has the opportunity to cover millions more uninsured kids, ensuring they, too, get the care they need.
You can help by signing a petition for the re-authorization of the country’s SCHIP program, a “safety umbrella” for parents who make too much to qualify for Medicaid, but cannot afford private health insurance. Through SCHIP, children receive access to health coverage that helps them lead healthier lives.