Cross-posted at Blue Jersey.

High-quality, affordable healthcare is not a luxury - it is both a necessity and a right.  In Congress, I'm fighting so everyone has access to the medicine and care they deserve. And when it comes to this right, the health of our children should be our top priority.  That's why I was proud to help create the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) over ten years ago.  Today, CHIP provides health care coverage to six million children nationwide who would otherwise be uninsured.

Still, we must do better.  Yesterday, I read an editorial in the Star Ledger highlighting a recent report by Families USA which touched upon the 267,000 uninsured children here in New Jersey.  This comes on the heels of the Asbury Park Press recently reporting 1.3 million people in our state living without health insurance.   Stark facts like these serve as glaring reminders that it is time to finally expand CHIP - which here in New Jersey is known as FamilyCare.  

Over the past two years, as Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health, I worked hard to make sure we passed legislation expanding and strengthening CHIP so that we could cover 10 million low-income children.  

Unfortunately, President Bush blocked our efforts, not once, but twice.  He vetoed legislation giving states the resources they needed to both maintain current enrollment levels and add an additional four million children to the rolls of the insured.  Instead of working cooperatively with Congress to develop a bipartisan compromise that would build CHIP up for future generations of children, President Bush set out to completely tear it down.  
 
But now hope is on the way.  In just 46 days, our nation will turn the page on the past eight years and the constant struggle to convince the President of the importance of health care will be a thing of the past.  With Barack Obama as our new President, we will finally have a willing, enthusiastic partner in the White House committed to protecting the health of our children and all Americans.

Still, these will be trying times, as day after day we witness signs that our national economy is falling further into a recession and hard working families are feeling the impact. 

Millions of people who have lost their jobs may also lose their health care coverage in the process.  A study conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that each time we have a single point increase in the national unemployment rate, Medicaid and CHIP enrollment goes up by one million people as well. Such a change would increase state spending by some $1.4 billion at a time when states are already struggling to balance their budgets.  Moreover, due to shrinking state revenues, states may cut coverage and restrict new enrollment, just when our families - especially our children - need our help most.  Now more than ever, we must make sure that we protect our nation's health care safety net for those families that fall on hard times.  

Earlier this year, I introduced a bill to temporarily increase federal funding for Medicaid to help states like New Jersey make sure they can continue providing health care coverage during this economic downturn.  Without these extra funds states may be forced to reduce eligibility or cut back on critical services just when our friends and families need help the most.  A similar provision was included in the recovery package the House passed in September, that is now stalled in the Senate. 

As the next Congress works to craft a new economic recovery package for January, I will fight to make sure that more funding for Medicaid is included. Because, in this time of great economic uncertainty, I believe we should be promoting policies and programs that provide our families the relief they need.  

Furthermore, short-term increases in federal Medicaid payments are a proven strategy for stimulating the economy.  When Congress passed a similar provision in 2003, New Jersey received $169 million in additional Medicaid payments.  Those funds generated $380 million in new economic activity, $132 million in new wages, and nearly 3400 new jobs. 

Yes, this is a time of great challenge.  But it is also a time of great opportunity.  With our expanded majorities in Congress and with a partner in the White House committed to healthcare for all Americans, we plan on strengthening Medicaid and expanding CHIP so we can follow through on our promise to make certain that every American, especially our children, have access to quality health care coverage.

In the meantime, if you have any ideas to make this a reality, I hope you will visit our website at PalloneForNewJersey.com/Health.  I will continue working hard to make healthcare available and more affordable for everyone, but I need your help.  I want to hear your ideas and experiences first hand, and I hope you'll share some thoughts as to how we can bring real, meaningful health care reform to each and every American family.