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By Steven G. Federico, MD, FAAP Colorado Academy of Pediatrics, Denver

As fathers across Colorado were celebrated this month, an issue close to parents' hearts is heating up that affects child health. Too many Colorado families are unable to afford health care coverage for their children. In fact, more than 176,000 children are uninsured in our state. As a pediatrician and a father, I am deeply committed to efforts that will provide quality health care to all children.

Access to affordable health insurance is the key to this goal.

Why is this so important? Children with health coverage are more likely to get the care they need when they need it. Insured children receive timely care for childhood illnesses, such as sore throats, earaches and asthma, make fewer visits to the emergency room or hospital, and have access to needed prescription medications and better preventive services. In fact, kids who are insured are more likely to have had a well-child visit and dental care in the last 6 to 12 months compared to uninsured children. Not surprisingly, these children tend to be healthier. And healthy children are better prepared to learn in school and succeed in life.

In my medical practice, I see the negative effects of children without health insurance on a daily basis such as; children who suffer from vaccine preventable disease, wait for care unnecessarily in crowded emergency rooms, and experience complications due to delays in receiving needed medications. It is a priority of our state chapter and the national American Academy of Pediatrics to ensure that all children have access to quality health care.

So what's being done? For the past 10 years, the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) has provided health care coverage to children whose parents work but cannot afford or are not offered health insurance. This joint state-federal program has effectively reduced the number of children living without health insurance by more than one third. Today, SCHIP covers 6 million children nationwide and nearly 70,000 children in Colorado.

SCHIP, called Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+) is offered as a separate program in which states can access Medicaid funding if they exceed their SCHIP allotment. Colorado is one of 26 states that extends eligibility for coverage to children who have family incomes up to 200% of the federal poverty level (FPL). This year the Colorado legislator passed laws that would extend coverage to 205% as well as enacted legislation to immediately enroll children upon application. So what is at stake? The fate of SCHIP is up for congressional debate amid its renewal this year. In fact, the U.S. Senate is expected to debate the SCHIP program beginning in June. . At a time when 9 million children are uninsured*more than the total number of kids enrolled in the first and second grades in U.S. public schools*Congress must adequately fund SCHIP to enroll more of America's and Colorado's uninsured kids. Of the 9 million uninsured children, 6 million are already eligible for SCHIP or Medicaid, but are not enrolled. The vast majority of these kids come from families in which one or both parents work, but their jobs do not offer access to affordable coverage. While Colorado has made tremendous headway in expanding our children's access to quality health care, more needs to be done to cover the estimated 176,000 children without health insurance. Thanks to SCHIP, millions of children can see their primary care doctor or a specialist when they are sick, get check ups and prescription medicines as needed. Amid such progress, it would be tragic to face funding shortfalls that would lead to fewer children being enrolled or putting their benefits at risk of elimination. For low-income families in Colorado, SCHIP provides parents with the peace of mind that they can take their child to the doctor when he or she is sick and not worry over the financial burden. As fathers, mothers and citizens of Colorado, we urge Senators Allard and Salazar to properly fund and renew SCHIP as soon as possible. Let's get more children covered.

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The writer fails to acknowledge many of us have chosen not to have children. Just why should those of us who have made an environmentally responsible choice be forced to fund those who made a different choice? We already must provide for the education of other people's children, plus their food while at school. Where does the ability to force your decision onto other people's labor end?

Federico asserts that "Congress must adequately fund SCHIP to enroll more of America's and Colorado's uninsured kids."

But SCHIP, like all entitlement programs, forces some to subsidize the expenses of others. But each parent has the moral responsibility to care for the health of his or her own children. Parents need to evaluate their decision to have kids based on their ability to finance appropriate care. It is morally wrong to force anyone to subsidize the expenses of someone else's children, whether for health care or any other cost.

Furthermore, expanding SCHIP would push out market insurance. SCHIP expansion would provide incentive for those who have private coverage for their children, to drop it in favor of "free insurance" - shifting the burden to the taxpayers.

Anyone who wishes to help those who cannot afford medical care should do so voluntarily through private charity -- not by trying to use the force of government to extort money from others. Neither the enrollment nor the funding of SCHIP should be expanded. Instead, this immoral program
should be abolished along with all other entitlement programs.

I have insurance and my children are very healthy.The last time one of my daughters was sick with a sore throat,a bad cough that was keeping her up at night and headache and sinus trouble,with a low grade fever,I took her to her Pediatrician.
After waiting a half hour before being seen the Dr.she did a quick strep throat test ,looked at her ears ,throat and sinuses.Saw her for about 5 mins asked a few questions and told me to give her water and cough drops.
I asked her for some Donatussin that worked for all her symptoms before and she told me just find something over the counter.

At that point I thought to myself ," well that was a waste of money.To bad I couldn't get a refund and not allow them to get any insurance money.

My daughter was miserable. That very same day I recieved in the mail a announcement that Walmart was opening up a healthcare clinic and it took different insurances. So I took my both my daughter's up there the next day. My other daughter was now complaining of an ear ache.

So I took them to the Walmart clinic. They were wonderful! They didn't take my insurance yet so the just charged me my co-pay as payment. They saw both my daughters. One did have an ear infection,they also cleaned out the build up of ear wax out and prescribed an antibiotic that cost me $4.00at the pharmacy. My other daughter was still running a fever and coughing really bad. Before I said anything they said they we will give her some Donatussin so she can get some rest from coughing so much and then her sore throat will get better. They gave me enough samples for 10 days free of charge.
My daughter only needed it for 3 days and she was much better.

They P.A at Walmart did something my children's Pediatricians office has never done.

They took their blood pressure.They have never had there blood pressure taken in all the check ups and years they been going to their Peditricians office.

I will take them to the Walmart health care clinic for minor things.I am looking for a new Pediatricians office. One that is actually worth spending my insurance dollars on.

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