[Mari]

Hi,
I get junk email from a union that I have never belonged to.
Today the email said to call your Senators about the CHIP bill being debated today (this is similar to a bill that Bush vetoed in 2007):

Today, the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) makes one more stop before it hits President Obama's desk.

The Senate is preparing to vote on the reauthorization of the Children's Health Insurance Program - a bill that would provide health care to millions of children currently without coverage.

Now, a group of Republican senators is planning to stall the bill with a series of divisive changes.
We need to tell Congress: kids cannot wait for health care. Will you keep our momentum going?
Call your senators and tell them to support the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization.

This link provided the Senator's posititions and phone numbers:
http://call.seiu.org/9/kidshealth_senate

I called and asked the woman who answered what the senator's position was on CHIP.
She said he had not formulated a position yet.

YET!!!!

Who voted for him ????????????
I do not have polite words to talk about those people.

I told the lady on the phone that children in our state and other places are desperate for health care.

She said, "Can I have your zip code?"

I'm guessing that she's keeping track of what parts of the state care enough to call in. Then the office can ignore us the way it has done the whole time this senator has been in office.


Mari

[Mari]

Hi,
No one answers at the Washington DC office of Senator #2.
I did a google search to find one of his local phone numbers.

The woman who answered the phone does not know the senator's position.
She asked for my name and phone number and will call me back with his official statement.

ARGH!!

This sounds like amateur hour.
It's health care for children, people -- not that hard to decide which way to vote!!


Mari

[Pamster]

Wow! He hadn't formulated a position yet eh? Good grief! Maybe he's been sick and seen his own doctors...Must be nice eh? Honestly he should know by now what his position is going to be on this extremely important legislation....Thanks for posting about it Mari! You know how I feel about this situation in our country, so you can bet I'll be calling later in the morning myself to see what our reps think and are going to vote...I hope they ask for my zip code-the last time I have called out of the three I got through to only one asked for it.

[Mari]

Hi,
The Senate is supposed to vote and pass this on Thursday (the House already passed their version).

The CHIP bill covers children in low income families who do not qualify for medicaid.

M.

Senate Democrats, after easily defeating Republican attempts to narrow the bill yesterday, predicted they had the votes to renew and expand the popular State Children's Health Insurance Program.

Presently, the $25 billion program covers 7 million children living near the poverty level who do not qualify for Medicaid.

Under the Senate bill and similar legislation passed by the House, an additional 4 million youngsters would be eligible for discounted care at an added cost of $32 billion over 4 1/2 years.

That would leave Obama about 5 million children short of his promise to ensure that every youngster in the country has health insurance.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...=moreheadlines

[Mari]

Pam,
Whenever I pay a little attention to nitty gritty politics, I am newly amazed at how non-responsive politicians are to the needs of their own voters.

I get angry and then have to back off politics for a while.


Mari

[Dmom3005]

Oh gosh I feel bad I've not been feeling so good the last couple days.
And just saw this.

Donna

[Mari]

Dear Donna,

The Senate passed the bill today.
It will become law soon.


How are you ?
Mari

[Dmom3005]

Thanks Mari

I'm holding my own kind of.

I am not feeling the best. Not sure what all is going on. So I'm
just staying close to home. I'm not sure just hoping its not
my gallbladder acting up early. Since I'm so close.

Donna

[Curious]

Do you know that in many school districts that kids can't play sports if they don't have insurance? You can't even sign a waiver saying you would pay the medical bills if they get injured.

That leaves so many kids left out. The working poor and middle class.

Offering something basic needs to be done.

Just my opinion. From someone who is self employed, has been without insurance because of the high high premiums and has been there. We just got our approvel notice for insurance in the mail today. First time in years that we had insurance.

[Mari]

Hi, Curious,

Insurance is good.
I'm glad that you have it now.
M.