Health Secretary: Insuring Kids a "Moral Imperative"
Health and Human Services Secretary kicks off National Children's Health Insurance Summit
Updated 8:15 PM CST, Wed, Nov 4, 2009
Calling it a "moral imperative," the president's health secretary urged states and communities to help enroll more uninsured children in government health insurance programs.
U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius spoke Wednesday in Chicago at the opening of the National Children's Health Insurance Summit.
"As a society and as parents, we have no greater responsibility than to provide quality health care for our children," she said. "Our charge here today is to get all eligible children covered to ensure they are healthy throughout their childhood. A healthy child is the block upon which all other successes are built, not just for the child, but for the nation they will lead in the future."
The three-day event at the Marriott Hotel kicks off a national effort to boost and retain enrollment in Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program, or CHIP.
Earlier this year, Obama signed legislation enabling about 7 million children to continue coverage through CHIP for the next four years. It also allows millions more to sign up.
Sebelius says it's important to get eligible children covered to boost their chances of staying healthy.
For more information on free or reduced-cost children's health insurance, visit www.insurekidsnow.gov or call 1-877-543-7669.
Copyright Associated Press / NBC Chicago
First Published: Nov 4, 2009 7:58 PM CST
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