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Prevent Blindness supports 6-year extension of CHIP
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President Donald J. Trump signed legislation on Jan. 22 that would sustain the Children’s Health Insurance Program for the next 6 years.
The bill also includes funding for the federal government until Feb. 8.
“We’re pleased that Congress has carried on the bipartisan tradition of the CHIP program and recognized the important role it has in addressing the health care needs of our country’s children,” Jeff Todd, Prevent Blindness chief operating officer, told Primary Care Optometry News. “However, we are still concerned because they still need to renew community health center funding and health care workforce funding.”
Todd explained in a previous interview that CHIP was developed to help children in families who may not qualify for Medicaid but are unable to afford health insurance, by providing matching funds to states. He noted that vision care is considered a covered benefit for all state CHIP programs.
“More than 12 million school-age children have some form of vision problem that may have substantial effects on social development and health, with the potential to negatively impact social, physical and educational activities,” Todd told PCON. “With the reauthorization of CHIP, we can better assure that children have access to eye care and treatment to ensure they are vision-ready to learn – and for life. – by Nancy Hemphill, ELS, FAAO