Tester fights to keep 30,000 Montana children insured

Senator supports bill to extend life of Healthy Montana Kids

(U.S. Senate) – While the Montana Legislature debates Medicaid expansion, Senator Jon Tester is making sure that 30,000 Montana children can still access health care.

Tester is supporting a bill to extend the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), which provides insurance to children in working families that cannot afford private insurance but earn too much to qualify for Medicaid.

CHIP, which provides more than three-quarters of the funding for Healthy Montana Kids, is set to run out of money at the end of September. The Senator’s bill would fully fund CHIP through 2019.

“We have an obligation to make sure 30,000 kids in Montana – and millions of children across the country – don’t lose their access to health care.” Tester said. “CHIP is a lifeline for our next generation, and passing this bill will ensure their livelihoods aren’t threatened by folks in Congress.”

Tester recently called on the Montana Legislature to expand Medicaid to insure 70,000 working Montanans. Last year, he gathered signatures to put Medicaid expansion on the November ballot.

Tester’s Protecting And Retaining Our Children’s Health Insurance Program Act is available online HERE.