New Jersey Governor Corzine Hails SCHIP Passage and Signing

February 4, 2009 -- Trenton - New Jersey Governor Jon S. Corzine applauded the passage of federal legislation expanding the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) and thanked President Obama for expeditiously signing the bill into law today.

“With President Obama, we finally have a partner in Washington who understands the value of protecting and improving the health of our most vulnerable children,” Governor Corzine said. “When SCHIP was founded and passed in 1997, it was struck as a partnership between the states and the federal government. Now, through a renewed collaboration, millions of children in our country, over 128,000 children in New Jersey alone, will continue to have their health insurance needs met.

Article continues below...

“Ensuring that children have access to health insurance so that they have a healthy start in life has been one of my top priorities as Governor. I’m pleased to say that through our successful SCHIP program, NJ FamilyCare, we are making great strides to reach these children and we will continue our outreach efforts to enroll every eligible child.

“I also want to thank the members of New Jersey’s Congressional delegation for their steadfast dedication on this issue. I look forward to working with them and President Obama on comprehensive healthcare reform for all of our citizens.”

“Governor Corzine and our Congressional delegation have been tireless champions for NJ FamilyCare,” said Human Services Commissioner Jennifer Velez. “Today’s much-anticipated reauthorization enables us to work aggressively to insure every child.”

NJ FamilyCare is a federal and state funded health insurance program created to help New Jersey's uninsured children and certain low-income parents and guardians to have affordable health coverage. New Jersey has one of the most generous eligibility programs in the country, covering children up to the 350 percent of the federal poverty limit.

Source: New Jersey Governor