After another week of guest hosts due to his infant son undergoing a second heart surgery, Jimmy Kimmel returned to his show full of emotions. He also returned with another health care mission aimed at members of Congress. While fighting back tears, Kimmel shares the good news about his son and the bad news about CHIP.
Kimmel points out how the Children’s Health Insurance Program has always been a bipartisan idea with support until this year. It became a bargaining chip as Kimmel puts it, taking a backseat thanks to the controversial tax plan the Senate passed. Orrin Hatch, the co-creator of CHIP alongside Ted Kennedy, faced criticism for an out of context quote on CHIP and assertion that “we don’t have any money anymore” to fund it. This came right before the tax bill that will add $1.7 trillion to the deficit passed, raising a few eyebrows.
As NBC adds, “CHIP pays for health care for more than 9 million kids across the country” and still hasn’t found secure funding for 2018 in Congress. Proposed funding takes CHIP from $16 billion to $12 billion and stop-gap funding through December 22nd doesn’t help states running out of money.
So Kimmel is urging people to call Congress and pester them to get something done. He’s also still urging people to sign up for health care before the deadline on Friday.
It is the host once again using his own situation to help those who aren’t millionaires and aren’t graced with their own television show. Plus he gets to celebrate his son’s continuing good health following surgery.
(Via Jimmy Kimmel Live)