SAN ANTONIO — A large group of local elected officials and children’s health advocates gathered at San Fernando Cathedral April 1 and called on the governor and Texas legislative leadership to restore benefits and eliminate policy that creates barriers for families to enroll in the CHIP program in Texas.
Auxiliary Bishop Patrick Zurek was present at the event and gave the opening prayer.
    “CHIP was designed for the hard-working families in Texas who may not otherwise be able to afford health insurance for their children,” said State Senator Leticia Van De Putte, a key author of the CHIP legislation during the 1999 sessions. “CHIP eligible families earn too much to qualify for Medicaid but cannot afford or do not receive health insurance through their employers. It’s terrible that instead of celebrating the fourth birthday of one of the state’s most successful programs, we are here today to call for its restoration.”

    The Campaign to Restore CHIP is calling for the full restoration of CHIP benefits and eligibility to what they were before cuts were approved by the 78th Texas Legislature. In the last legislative session, severe policy changes were made to the program in order to balance the state budget. The resulting policy makes it more difficult for families to enroll or maintain their enrollment and increased the cost-sharing from not more than $18 per month to $25.
    Other changes included a waiting period for enrollment, a possible assets test, elimination of 12 months continuous eligibility and disallowed income deductions such as child care expenses. In addition, all children enrolled have lost critical benefits, including dental, vision and hospice services.
    Local counties stand to lose $500 million in federal matching funds as a result of cuts to CHIP. “I am concerned about the impact of CHIP cuts on the entire San Antonio community — especially local taxpayers. Cuts in the program to balance the state budget have severely strained our local budget resources and shifted costs to the local level and property tax payers,” said Bexar County Judge

    Nelson Wolff, who recently estimated CHIP cuts would cost the Bexar County Hospital District some $25 million in unfunded care. “CHIP is a wise investment for Texas children and for local taxpayers.”
    Statewide, CHIP enrollment has dropped by 118,978 children since cuts approved by the Texas     Legislature took effect on Sept. 1, 2003 — a decrease of 23 percent. In San Antonio, some 14,000 children, or 20 percent, are no longer covered by the affordable health insurance plan that began in Texas on April 1, 2000.
    Currently Texas has the highest number of uninsured children of all states.
    “Children’s access to healthcare is crucial to the development of our future workforce. Health insurance is essential to a child’s success in the classroom. Children who cannot see the blackboard or hear the teacher do not go to school ready to learn or to succeed,” concluded Judge Wolff.
See related column on page 19.