Reader: Fund health insurance for children

Dear Editor,

As a teacher, the last month of my summer is spent planning for the upcoming school year. That includes gathering extra school supplies to ensure that all of my students have an equal opportunity to succeed.

Unfortunately, no teacher can supply all students with health insurance. Many kids will start school at a disadvantage because their parents cannot afford to purchase health coverage.

In Louisiana, more than 95,000 kids are without health coverage, putting their health and their future at risk.

Gov. Kathleen Blanco knows and appreciates the importance of Baton Rouge supporting the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, known in Louisiana as LaCHIP.

At a recent event at Family Road of Greater Baton Rouge, advocates urged congressional representatives and the White House to take action to reauthorize the program and expand its funding. This program provides health coverage for thousands of children in our state whose parents are not offered health coverage through their jobs or who cannot afford the coverage they are offered.

We know that LaCHIP works. Because of these SCHIP programs in every state, millions of kids nationwide can see doctors when they are ill, have access to medications, get regular check-ups and be hospitalized if necessary.

As a community, we cannot stand by while this crucial safety net is at risk of being pulled out from under thousands of Louisiana families.

If our leaders don’t reauthorize and fund SCHIP appropriately, we are jeopardizing one of this nation’s most important assets, the health and future of our children.

Susan Keller

Teacher, Lafourche High School

Raceland