In The Politics of Autism, I write:
No government agency has exclusive jurisdiction over all of these areas. The federal government takes the lead with some, while states and localities may be the main arenas for others. At each level, different bureaucracies deal with different aspects of autism. Courts and private organizations also play important roles in autism policymaking. Each place on the autism policy map has its own jargon and rules, hence the “alphabet soup” that bedevils parents.
Over 100 days have passed since Congress let funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) expire, creating uncertainty for families across the country who depend on the program for health coverage. Lawmakers agreed to a short-term extension late last month as part of a plan to keep the government open, but that agreement is set to expire next week. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates a bipartisan, bicameral extension proposal currently under consideration, the KIDS Act (S.1827), will save the government $6 billion over a 10 year period. Unfortunately, partisan politics continues to wreak havoc on the process.
Meanwhile, many states are already issuing termination notices to program beneficiaries worried about the threat of losing access to care. Without a permanent agreement, states will exhaust CHIP funding resources leaving 9 million low and middle-income children nationwide, many of whom live with autism and other disabilities, uninsured.
Please contact your senators and representatives (202-224-3121) today and urge them to #ExtendCHIP. Each day CHIP reauthorization remains unresolved threatens essential health coverage for children nationwide.
