Every pediatric nurse practitioner (PNP) knows how important the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) is to improving the health of millions of children across the country. Medicaid and CHIP together cover more than one in every three children in the U.S. – nearly 34 million children – and nearly two of every three children in low-income families. Almost 93 percent of all children have health insurance, thanks in large part to CHIP and Medicaid.

Unless Congress takes action, federal funding for the CHIP program will expire at the end of September 2015. If that happens, nearly four million children would lose CHIP coverage entirely – and many would likely become uninsured.

The bipartisan leadership of the House and Senate committees with jurisdiction over CHIP sent a July 29 letter to all 50 state governors asking for their input by October 31 on "whether and how the program should be extended and what, if any, policy changes should be made." This is an important opportunity for PNPs, working with other children's health advocates, to engage with their governor's office to ensure that their state responds to the congressional inquiry and to ensure that governors and Congress understand the critical importance of extending and strengthening funding and access to care in the CHIP program.

NAPNAP urges chapter members to take action NOW:

• Customize and mail the attached model letter to your governor as soon as possible. http://www.colorado.gov/govhdir
• Contact other children's health advocates in your state to coordinate efforts to support federal reauthorization of the CHIP program.
• Meet with your governor's office to urge that he or she respond to the July 29 request from congressional leaders for input on CHIP reauthorization as offered in the model letter. Urge your governor to advocate for Congress to act this year to reauthorize the CHIP program to ensure the continuation of funding and policies to provide health care coverage for children. Be sure your governor understands the implications for your state if CHIP is not reauthorized. State by state CHIP fact sheets have been developed by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Academy for State Health Policy, http://www.aap.org/en-us/Documents/fed_advocacy_chip_colorado.pdf
• Offer to be a resource for your governor, your state Medicaid and health agencies, and your state legislators to provide the clinicians' perspective on key priorities in reauthorizing the CHIP program – and to ensure they understand the role of PNPs in caring for the health of children.

In addition to providing the attached talking points document, NAPNAP is available to help you with your advocacy efforts. Please share your experiences and questions with NAPNAP at healthpolicy@napnap.org.