Dear CMF Friends:
It is timely that I write to ask for your leadership seeing that we just finished Holy Week. I pray that my words echo those of our Heavenly Father, and that His will be done. The State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) is about to be dramatically expanded. The new leadership in Congress is using America's children to set the stage for the 2008 presidential campaign.
SCHIP has been in place for nearly 10 years at an annual cost to the taxpayer of $40 billion. It must be reauthorized this year or it will expire. The good news is that many children, who were previously uninsured, now have health insurance. The bad news is that the dollars in this program are also being used by most states to circumvent parents' authority over their children's health care. In addition, several states are running out of money because they have overspent and used SCHIP money to cover adults. Therefore, many states are asking to expand funding for SCHIP to $60 billion during the next 10 years. Along with this letter, I am attaching two excellent articles that further explain this outrageous moral and economic debacle. Please read them carefully!
- "Pro-Lifers Say the State Children's Health Insurance Program Is a Trojan Horse" by Gail Besse, National Catholic Register April 1, 2007. This article exposes SCHIP's attack on the family by removing parents from their role as the first and primary educators and executors of their children's health care. Confidential coverage is currently included for contraception and abortion for rape, incest and life of the mother, without parental consent. Some states, like Michigan, originally included coverage for sterilization. In 2002, through the leadership of the Christus Medicus Foundation, sterilization was removed. With the help of Michigan Right to Life, coverage of abortion for rape and incest was removed. This success in Michigan points out that, where there is the will and the commitment to provide leadership, SCHIP can be reformed.
- "Health Insurance Folly" by Grace Marie Turner of the Galen Institute, (WSJ) March 17, 2007. This article exposes SCHIP's manipulation of funds to cover adults at the expense of children. According to the article, "A number of states use [SCHIP] dollars to cover adults at the expense of poor children. And most of the states that are running out of SCHIP money are those that cover adults in their programs. In 2005, for example, 87% of Minnesota's SCHIP enrollees were adults, as were 66% of those enrolled in Wisconsin's program. In Arizona - which has one of the highest rates of uninsured children in the nation - 56% of those enrolled in SCHIP were adults."
So what can be done? First, adults should not be eligible for SCHIP. Covering adults at the expense of children was not the intent of the program. States need to meet the intent of the law.
Second, states that fund contraception, sterilization and abortion for any reason should not receive SCHIP funding. Lawmakers, religious, pro-life and pro-family leaders need to demand that our children are protected and that parents, not the state, are to be the first and primary educators and executors of children's health care. United in faith under the leadership of our dedicated clergy, faith based health care providers, profamily/prolifers and other Judeo-Christians, we have a marvelous opportunity to protect the role of parents in their children's health and welfare.
We must let President Bush and Congress know that we are outraged that our policy makers would allow states to fund the manipulation and control our children's sexuality through SCHIP. I want to reiterate that our state and federal tax dollars have been funding this attack on families for nearly 10 years. To continue SCHIP, Congress has to approve it in the 2008 Budget.
When I first brought this to the attention of religious leaders more than a decade ago, I was told not to worry. It is most important that we first get government money to provide healthcare for our children and then we will get the evil removed. After 10 years, I know of only one state, Pennsylvania, under the leadership of Sr. Clare Christi, which did not include any of these evil procedures from its inception. Michigan removed sterilization and abortion for rape and incest. But, even in Michigan, we were not able to prevent the state taking control our children's sexuality by secretly pushing pills and devices that are immoral, dangerous, and physically and spiritual unhealthy.
Please visit www.christusmedicus.com. Again, my friends, I ask you to please carefully read Declaration 2007 to Reform SCHIP. Please sign it and return it to me as quickly as possible. As I write this appeal to you, Congress is considering a bill that will increase the budget from $40 billion to $60 billion during the next ten years. Time is of the essence. The 2008 Budget for SCHIP is expected to be approved before June, maybe sooner. You can mail, email mikeodea@christusmedicus.com or fax the signed Declaration to 248-478-5771. Spread the Word! Call and/or email your Congressman. Tell them you don't want your state and federal tax dollars funding abortion, contraception and/or sterilization in SCHIP. Have members of your organization and your family and friends do the same.
Through your timely support of this Declaration, the evil of abortion, contraception, and sterilization can be removed. In addition, this Declaration could set the stage for health care reform in the presidential campaigns to include social justice, right of conscience and the dignity of every human being. To see who already signed on to support SCHIP Reform, visit
www.christusmedicus.com and click on Declaration 2000.
I urge you to pray that our policy makers will see the light of Christ and act 
to protect our children. Finally, I ask you to help us financially with a gift of $200, $500, $1,000 or $5,000 so that the Christus Medicus Foundation can continue its leadership role on SCHIP Reform, and all health care reform that protects Catholic and biblical values.
Thank you for your attention to this important matter. We will be happy to send you, if requested, more information on issues related to these declarations.
In Service of Christ and His Church,
Michael J. O'Dea
Executive Director
P.S. Please send your tax deductible contribution to CMF today! Our work is dependent on your generosity.
