After a fierce floor debate, U.S. Rep. Nick Rahall, D-WV, joined in passing the Children’s Health and Medicare Protection (CHAMP) Act of 2007, protecting services for thousands of seniors, people with disabilities, and children across the country and in West Virginia.

"As a father and a grandfather, I strongly believe no child should go without health insurance," said Rahall. "Two out of every three uninsured children in the U.S. are eligible for health care coverage, but remain uninsured. I'm proud to have supported legislation that will provide health care coverage to the children in West Virginia that need it most."

Under the CHAMP Act, coverage of the 24,833 children currently enrolled in West Virginia's Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) will be secured. West Virginia will receive an essential increase in its allotted funding that will allow the state to reach out to the estimated 23,100 children that are eligible for coverage, but remain uninsured. The state will also have the option to offer coverage to an additional 37,200 children who are aging out of Medicaid and CHIP.

Additionally, the CHAMP Act includes a $3 billion rural package that will help to extend rural health provisions enacted in the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003. Without this provision, rural beneficiaries' access to physicians, hospitals, and home health and ambulance services would be negatively affected.

"The CHAMP Act will help West Virginia's seniors and families in rural areas cut through red tape so they can see the doctors they trust and get the care they need," added Rahall. "The legislation we passed today will make our nation stronger and preserve our rural health safety net by continuing to ensure that rural West Virginians have access to the doctors and services they depend on."