AUSTIN — Church-based community organizers want more children enrolled in the Children's Health Insurance Program but are unlikely to get Gov. Rick Perry's support.

The Texas Industrial Areas Foundation wants state leaders to increase the CHIP eligibility to cover families with incomes up to 300 percent of the federal poverty level — roughly $66,000 for a family of four.

The current CHIP eligibility covers families with incomes up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level, or $44,000 for a family of four. The Industrial Areas Foundation supports a sliding scale payment for families making between 200 and 300 percent of the federal poverty standard.

Texas leads the country with about 1.5 million uninsured children.

“Health insurance has gone up so high that even working-families are having a hard time buying it for their kids,” said Pastor Javier Leyva of the Pollard Memorial United Methodist Church and a leader in San Antonio's Communities Organized for Public Service and Metro Alliance.

But the governor believes the effort should focus on bringing tens of thousands of children currently eligible for CHIP coverage, but who are not enrolled, into the system.

“The governor does not support raising eligibility to 300 percent, which would completely change the focus of this program, which is intended to reach children of working poor,” Perry spokeswoman Allison Castle said. “His focus is on enrolling those children of the working poor who currently qualify, but aren't enrolled; raising the cap will do nothing to reach those children who need it most.”

Church leaders counter that Texas should both enroll children already eligible and expand the program.

“We have these thousands of children who are being used as political pawns, and our families are struggling to make them whole,” said the Rev. Lisa Hunt of St. Stephen's Episcopal Church and a leader in Houston's TMO. “It's time that in Texas we stop treating children as a kick ball. This is not about an election to the next office or the next term. This is about doing the right thing and getting our federal money back to Texas.”

The federal government pays 72 cents for every 28 cents that the state of Texas appropriates for CHIP.

“It's not just a moral imperative to insure these children. It makes good economic sense,” Rep. Rene Oliveira, D-Brownsville, said.

Texas faces budget problems, “so it's going to be hard to make this decision,” Rep. Frank Corte, R-San Antonio, said. “I'm not saying we won't. It's just that they will have to make a good case.”