How we insure healthy kids

The House of Representatives may have passed their Trumpcare bill on Thursday but thankfully every congressman representing southeast PA stood up for children and families and voted no – in part because they heard from folks like you, their constituents, and PCCY about the harm the measure could inflict. Send an automated message of thanks to your congressman by clicking on their name below:

Patrick Meehan
Ryan Costello
Brian Fitzpatrick
Charlie Dent
Dwight Evans
Bob Brady
Brendan Boyle

And let our Senators know we’re counting on them. Tell Sen. Bob Casey and Sen. Pat Toomey to hold children harmless by clicking on their names.

No surprise, we have health insurance on our minds this week.

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Parents worry about their children all the time, especially about taking care of them when they get sick. Parents question is this a simple cold or something more serious?  Does she need to go to the doctor and if yes, can we get an appointment?  Will my insurance cover the medication or the treatment prescribed? 

But Sakeenah’s mom worried more.  A lot more.
Sakeenah, currently a high school sophomore in Philly who loves to dance, had no health insurance, like 36,000 children in southeast PA. But that all changed when her mom signed her up for CHIP coverage, thanks to PCCY’s Child Health Watch Helpline that regularly helps parents find health insurance for their kids.

“I’ve heard her talk about being relieved she can take care of me if I get an ear infection or the flu,” Sakeenah recently told PCCY. “We don’t have to worry about not being able to afford to pay for the care I need.”

Since its inception, the Helpline has helped thousands of families. Longtime staffer Deborah Zubow has personally signed up nearly 4,000 kids for health insurance since she joined PCCY–kids just like Sakeenah and Tyler.

Captain of his basketball team, Tyler, a junior at Parkway Northwest High, turned his ankle on the court last year.

“At the time, I didn’t have health insurance,” explained Tyler. “I didn’t get an x-ray. We just took care of it at home.”

But last fall, Tyler’s mom brought him and his brother Tahj to our Give Kids Sight event, our day of free vision care. While the day of service is invaluable to families who have no or inadequate insurance, part of our mission for the day is to help sign up as many kids to public health insurance as we can.

And that’s what we did for Tyler and his brother.

They’re both grateful that their mom worries a little less these days. “I’m pretty sure it’s a big deal for my mom to have CHIP for us,” Tyler said. “We can see the doctor, get exams and shots to stay healthy, and she doesn’t have to worry as much about illness.”  Tyler also saw the bigger picture stating, “I think children need to be able to get health care when they need it.  God forbid something would happen to a child, and he or she wouldn’t be able to get health care.”

We know that you don’t support Trumpcare and are as concerned as we are with the impact a repeal of the Affordable Care Act will have across the country and closer to home. 

As PCCY continues to serve the children in our region, please remember that our work is made possible through your vital support. On May 16, join PCCY and special guests at the Museum of the American Revolution for our annual party. Purchase your tickets HERE.