Dear Friend of United Way of Central Jersey,

This week, President Obama signed into law a reauthorization of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). The bill (H.R. 2) enrolls 4 million more children and adults in health care and allows $32.8 billion in new spending over five years.
American Humane supported this legislation, which now enables SCHIP to cover more than 11 million American children. Specifically, the bill will:

• Allow states to cover children and families with income up to 300 percent of the federal poverty level ($63,600 for a family of four).
• Provide dental coverage.
• Give states permission to waive a waiting period of five years to enroll immigrant children who are in the United States legally.
• Reduce barriers to enrollment by eliminating the requirement that people present legal documentation of their citizenship. Instead, it would require them to provide their name and Social Security number and declare their legal residency. States would then be required to verify their eligibility.
• Make it easier for parents to seek preventive care for their children, lowering health-care costs overall by replacing emergency-room care with access to critical health services.
• Increase the cigarette tax to 62 cents per pack to help pay for the expansion.

With growing unemployment and the economic crisis, the passage of this bill comes at a critical time. We applaud Congress and the president for moving quickly.

Gloria Aftanski
President and Chief Professional Officer

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