Additionally, Gov. Ducey said without KidsCare, the parents will likely forego routine medical care for their children. They might reduce their working hours or stop working to qualify for Medicaid.
He said renewing CHIP will eliminate the need for low-income parents to choose between the two undesirable situations.
Furthermore, he believes that the program will help these parents stay in the workforce and contribute to the economy. It will give them opportunity to advance in their careers and will no longer need government assistance.
Gov. Ducey is also exploring other options to continue KidsCare until spring in case Congress fails to act time. The State’s funding for the program will runout in mid-December.
The Arizona Governor is not the only one requesting the Congress to reauthorize funding for CHIP.
Last month, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo made a similar request to the Congress. The number of children that will be affected in the state is 350,000. He asked lawmakers to stop playing politics because the stakes are too high—the health of vulnerable children.
