please proofread my 124th ltte Re: children's health care in Texas

[w8liftinglady]

in response to this editorial by my senator
http://www.thedailylight.com/articles/2008/02/01/opinion/doc47a3683fba26a200911581.txt



After reading Senator Cornyn's touching column about his involvement in SCHIP,I thought it important to balance it with a few facts.
-Texas has the highest rate of uninsured children in the nation, with 20.2% lacking coverage, compared to 11.6% nationally.
-More than 80% of uninsured children have at least one working parent.
-According to the Texas Department of Insurance, the average cost of private family insurance is $11,000 a year, or $917 a month.
-More than 1 out of every 5 Texas children (21.8%) lives in poverty.
-Of the 1.5 million uninsured Texas children, 850,000 are eligible for but not enrolled in CHIP or Children's Medicaid.
- Due to cuts to CHIP, Texas has lost $900 million in federal matching funds that have
been returned to the U.S. Treasury and spent by other states.

-Children without health insurance are 25% more likely to miss school because of illnesses, and Texas school
districts lose $4 million per day in funding because of absenteeism.

-According to the conservative economist Ray Perryman, for every state dollar removed from CHIP and Medicaid,
local taxes must rise 51 cents, private health insurance premiums increase by $1.34 and retail sales decline by
almost two dollars.

These are the current state of events under the stewardship of Senators Cornyn and Hutchison.Is this our legacy-a state who turns their backs on its citizens when they are in need?As the economy worsens,these numbers will grow.Our elected officials must consider all of their constituents-young and old,rich and poor.Vote in March for a candidate who will make a change.

[TomInTib]

1. Looks fine to me. nt