LTE: Healthy Start a victory for youth
Toledo Blade — Feb. 4 was an important anniversary for Ohio children. It’s the day in 2009 when Congress passed a law protecting the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), which in Ohio is called Healthy Start. It’s an occasion for Ohio parents to thank Sen. Sherrod Brown.
Many Ohio children lost health insurance as their parents lost their jobs. But while 245,000 Ohio children live with at least one unemployed parent, the number of uninsured children has actually gone down.
Healthy Start works because Senator Brown and other leaders chose to protect children when parents lose jobs. Senator Brown, in particular, worked to raise the issue’s profile and behind the scenes to build support in Congress.
As a result, kids can count on getting the preventive care they need to stay healthy and focused in school. Families battered by the economy aren’t saddled with medical debt. And federal funds flow into Ohio’s economy, protecting jobs in Toledo doctors’ offices and hospitals.
