Furness students urged to spread word about CHIP

With the enthusiasm of a pep rally, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, Sen. Bob Casey, U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah, and other officials on Monday urged students at Furness High School in South Philadelphia to help spread the word about Pennsylvania's Children's Health Insurance Program.

"I am asking you to be the messengers," Sebelius told about 400 students in the auditorium. As of last month, 28,261 children in Philadelphia were enrolled in CHIP, which provides health coverage to children and teenagers not eligible for government medical assistance. Pennsylvania has an 85 percent participation rate in CHIP and Medicaid. Nonetheless, 129,000 eligible children in the state are not enrolled, out of an estimated five million nationally. - Vernon Clark