To the editor:
In response to the news article, "Students wait for health bill to pass Senate before holding further events" (Nov. 20, 2009), SHOUT coordinators would like to clarify our mission and recent efforts by the group. Student Health Outreach (SHOUT) is a Community Impact group dedicated to helping residents in neighborhoods surrounding Columbia University apply for public health insurance, food stamps, and other benefits. The health insurance programs include Medicaid, Family Health Plus, and Child Health Plus. Our mission is not to provide health insurance to undocumented children, but to assist all residents in applying for the government benefits they are eligible for. SHOUT's outreach specifically targets adult populations. In New York state, undocumented children who meet certain income guidelines are eligible for Child Health Plus. Our advocacy efforts this semester, in conjunction with the Children's Defense Fund, have been aimed at preventing children from losing coverage or paying more for insurance coverage under the new health insurance reform bill. Working alongside many in New York, we were successful in lobbying senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) to co-sign on the Casey Amendment, which protects Child Health Plus until 2019, allowing children to keep coverage at the same affordable levels.
Iman Hassan, CC '10
Laura Chen, BC '10
Orly Stampfer, CC '11
Silvia Puma, CC '10
Anna Newman, BC '12
Linda Ma, CC '12
SHOUT Coordinators
Dec. 15, 2009
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