CA Healthcare - Cover all kids NOW!

(From MomsRising.org)
I just signed a petition to support bringing health care to all California children, and I hope you will too. Next week, your petitions will be presented together directly to the Governor and Legislature when they return from their summer recess and begin considering health care reform. Let's send a strong visual message - stacks and stacks of thousands of petitions calling for our leaders to cover all kids. We can do it! Please ask your friends and family to sign on too by forwarding this email their way.

SIGN THE PETITION TO COVER ALL KIDS - Tell the Governor & California State Legislature, "Cover all kids! Act now to ensure that all children in California have health care coverage and fully fund the programs to support full coverage":
**Click here to sign:
The goal of providing health insurance for all children in our state is not a pipe dream. Over the past few years, California has made great progress in ensuring more children have insurance; now we can finish the job. In the coming weeks, the California legislature is considering health care reform legislation that could provide health care coverage for all children in California. Yes, that's right, 100% of children in California.

HEALTH CARE FOR KIDS 101 - Providing health care coverage for children in California is needed AND good for all of us. Here are some facts that demonstrate this!

* Nearly 9 million children in the U.S. (that's 12% of all children) do not have healthcare insurance. And in California, about 763,000 children in California are uninsured.

* While there are current state programs to provide health care coverage for some low-income children, these programs are not available for all kids, and employers are dropping coverage at an alarming rate. And as we all know, dollars just don't stretch as far in California as they do elsewhere, so our definition of "low-income" might be different than in some other states.

* Health insurance improves children's well-being and helps them reach their potential in school. Research shows that formerly uninsured children who were covered under public programs had a 63% improvement in paying attention and keeping up with school activities compared to their previous performance when they were uninsured.

* Children with health insurance are healthier, at less risk of suffering from preventable illnesses and have better access to needed health care services. When children have to wait until common, preventable health problems become emergencies to seek treatment, the result is high-cost emergency care - costs that are passed on to the state, communities and individuals.

SIGN THE PETITION NOW - Don't forget to sign the petition to the Governor and California Legislature now: