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Help Improve Access to Health Care for Low Income Children
LB 136 makes necessary improvements to Nebraska's State Childrens' Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), referred to as Kids Connection, in order to provide health care to more of our state?s low-income children.
LB 136 increases income eligibility for Nebraska families with children under 19 years of age from 185% to 200% of the federal poverty level (FPL).
LB 136 provides for twelve (12) months of continuous eligibility when the child enrolls in the program.
Finally, LB 136 increases enrollment and outreach efforts.
| Sample Letter for Campaign |
Subject: LB 136 -- Children's Health Care
Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,
As a person of faith, I thank you for your vote to move LB 136 to Select File. It is my understanding the bill will come up for final debate toward the end of this week. I encourage your continued support of this important legislation and ask that you vote to pass it on to the Governor for his signature.
Kids Connection is a public health insurance program for low-income families in Nebraska. Kids Connection provides children with access to needed health care like well-child visits, mental health coverage, and testing and screenings for early intervention. Most importantly, it simply provides the child and the family with the ability to go see a medical professional when the child is sick.
Without this kind of access families are often forced to forgo care or wait until the child's illness becomes severe before they seek treatment, usually in an emergency room; chronic illnesses are not managed; and preventable illnesses become expensive to treat.
Health care access is critical if children are going to learn in school, grow strong and healthy, and become productive members in our society.
Nebraska's Kids Connection program was once a model program but has slipped in recent years. Nebraska has one of the seven lowest eligibility rates in the country. Forty-three other states have chosen to provide health care to more of their low-income children.
LB 136 would increase eligibility for Kids Connection to 200% or $36,620 a year for a family of three.
There are at least 45,000 uninsured children in Nebraska. A little more than 5,400 of these uninsured children will become newly eligible for Kids Connection under LB 136.
78% of uninsured Nebraska children live in households where there is one full-time worker, reinforcing the fact that health insurance in the private market is increasingly unaffordable and out of reach for more and more families. Programs like Kids Connection have become ever more important in filling the gap for uninsured families.
The costs of uninsured children show up in our school systems, our child welfare system, and our juvenile justice system.
The federal government pays for nearly 72% of the cost for the children that would become eligible under LB 136, drawing millions of federal dollars into Nebraska's local economies while providing critical health care to children in need.
Sincerely,
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