Contact:
Ed Walz
202-657-0685 (office)

Washington – On Monday, President Barack Obama highlighted the disastrous consequences of the U.S. House of Representatives federal fiscal year 2013 budget proposal for health care. During a speech to the American Society of Newspaper Editors, the president focused specifically on the impact of that budget proposal’s deep Medicaid cuts on children. First Focus has released an analysis showing that the proposal would cut $190 billion from Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) over ten years. In response to the president’s remarks, First Focus Campaign for Children President Bruce Lesley issued the following statement:

“Parents all over the country should thank President Obama for shining a national spotlight on the House budget’s disastrous consequences for children’s health. Thanks to Medicaid and CHIP, the uninsurance rate among children is at record lows, and millions of kids who would otherwise be uninsured get the health care they need to grow and thrive. The House budget throws that track record of success away, and parents need to know what’s at stake for kids.”

###
First Focus is a bipartisan advocacy organization dedicated to making children and families a priority in federal policy and budget decisions. For more information, visit www.firstfocus.net.