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Catholic Health Association Proud to Join Campaign for Children's Health Care

Posted on: Tuesday, 11 July 2006, 12:00 CDT

WASHINGTON, July 11 /PRNewswire/ -- As a long-time advocate for health care that works for everyone, the Catholic Health Association of the United States (CHA) is pleased to join national partners to highlight the urgency of improving children's health coverage.

The U.S. public broadly supports ensuring that children have access to the care they need to develop into healthy, productive adults. According to a public opinion survey commissioned by CHA and completed on July 9, 70 percent of likely voters agree that providing affordable, quality health insurance to all children in the U.S. should be a top priority of Congress and the President, reflecting the Campaign For Children's Health Care's petition language.

"Members of the Catholic health ministry make it a priority each day to advocate for a system that serves everyone. As the most vulnerable among us, children deserve no less than the opportunities afforded to them by a healthy life, and the public clearly understands this," said Sr. Carol Keehan, DC, CHA's president and chief executive officer.

Sixty-five percent of the 800 voters surveyed nationally said that the federal government should take financial responsibility to cover uninsured children. This finding is made even more powerful by the fact that only 31 percent of the respondents have children under 18 living in their household. The survey was conducted by Public Opinion Strategies, Alexandria, VA. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.46 percent.

"The opinion survey continues to show that a large swath of the public is ready and willing to support children's health coverage, but also that many people are still unaware of the severity of the problem. We look forward to working with our partners in the Campaign for Children's Health Care to inform the public, keep the issue on the radar of Congress and the president, and inspire one another to act on behalf of our nation's children," said Michael Rodgers, CHA's senior vice president, advocacy and public policy.

Also important is the survey finding that many people are willing to help pay for improving children's health care. Of the 65 percent of likely voters who said the federal government should take responsibility to cover uninsured children, 80 percent would be willing to pay more in taxes to finance expanded coverage.

CHA and its members will actively participate in the Campaign for Children's Health Care, including efforts to obtain signatures for the campaign's petition; local education and enrollment activities; and other events in Catholic hospitals around the country.

The Catholic Health Association of the United States (CHA), founded in 1915, supports the Catholic health ministry's pursuit of the strategic directions of mission, ethics, and advocacy. As the nation's largest group of not-for-profit sponsors, systems, and facilities, the ministry is committed to improving the health status of communities and creating quality and compassionate health care that works for everyone. For more information, visit the CHA website at http://www.chausa.org/.

Contact: Jeff Tieman Director, Covering a Nation Phone 202-721-6311 e-mail jtieman@chausa.org Contact: Fred Caesar Special Assistant to the President - Communications Phone 202-721-6321 e-mail fcaesar@chausa.org

Catholic Health Association of the United States

CONTACT: Jeff Tieman, Director, Covering a Nation, +1-202-721-6311,jtieman@chausa.org or Fred Caesar, Special Assistant to the President -Communications, +1-202-721-6321, fcaesar@chausa.org, both of the CatholicHealth Association of the United States

Web site: http://www.chausa.org/

Source: PRNewswire

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