2009
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Substantial Majority of Americans Report Family Budget Worries Outweigh Federal Budget Concerns in Health Reform
Families Cutting Back Spending Because of High Health Care Costs, Poll Finds (Washington, D.C.) – A new survey released today by the nonpartisan Georgetown University Center for Children and Families (CCF) reveals Americans—by a two-to-one margin—are more concerned about making health coverage more affordable to families than keeping down the federal cost of health care…
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Children in Health Care Reform: Where Things Stand
With so much round-the-clock activity on health care reform, it is sometimes hard to keep all the facts straight on where things are for kids. We released a fact sheet today that we hope helps to provide a roadmap on the child and family provisions in the leading health reform proposals: House bill (H.R. 3962)…
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National Summit Kicks Off Renewed Outreach and Enrollment Effort
An enthusiastic crowd of more than 500 gathered in Chicago last week for the National Children’s Health Insurance Summit hosted by the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare (CMS). Attendees included CHIPRA outreach grantees, individuals from community-based and provider organizations, national and state experts, and officials from federal and state government. The purpose of the event…
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Key Medicaid, CHIP, and Low-Income Provisions in H.R. 3962: The Affordable Health Care for America Act of 2009
This fact sheet provides a description of the key Medicaid, CHIP, and low-income provisions in the merged health reform bill released by the House and amended on November 3, 2009.
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Poll: Affordability and Health Care Coverage
This survey shows that families are still reeling from the recession, feeling pessimistic about the future, and struggling to afford health care. Health care costs are squeezing families financially, forcing them to make hard choices. For this reason, their goal for health care reform is overwhelmingly to make health care more affordable and to lower…
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In Case You Needed It, Here’s Another Reason Why Health Insurance Is Important
By Martha Heberlein A recent study from Johns Hopkins found that children who enter the hospital uninsured are more likely to die than those who have coverage. In fact, uninsured children were found to have an in-hospital mortality rate 60% higher than their insured counterparts. Extrapolating their findings (and assuming that lack of insurance was…
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House Health Reform Bill: Fact Sheet on Child and Family Provisions
Yesterday evening, the House released revisions (referred to as a manager’s amendment) to its health reform bill, H.R. 3962. Leadership could now potentially bring the bill to the House floor by this weekend, but the schedule is still undecided. CCF has released a fact sheet to help guide you through the bill’s (with the new…
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CHIP On Chopping Block In House Health Reform Bill
The Washington Independent November 3, 2009 Nine months ago, Democratic leaders on Capitol Hill were all celebration as they hailed the renewal of the popular Childrenʼs Health Insurance Program. Last week, they called for CHIPʼs demise. The $894 billion, 1,990-page health reform bill unveiled by House Democrats last Thursday would repeal CHIP at the end…
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What a Novel Idea: Making Sure No Newborn Leaves the Hospital Uninsured!
New Jersey is putting this idea to the test with its new “Insured for Sure” initiative that is being piloted in nine New Jersey hospitals. Hospital staff will check the insurance status of all newborns and provide data to the Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) verifying a baby’s coverage under the parent’s insurance.…
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House Releases Health Reform Bill: A Quick Look at the Child and Family Provisions
Yesterday the House Leadership released its merged health reform bill, The Affordable Health Care for Americans Act of 2009. It includes some noteworthy changes with respect to kids and families from the previous version of the bill. Here are some highlights: Raises the mandatory Medicaid threshold from 133% to 150% FPL. CBO estimates that by…
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Women and Health Reform: The Latest Data
Judy Waxman, Vice President for Health and Reproductive Rights, National Women’s Law Center This week, we released a new report, Still Nowhere to Turn: Insurance Companies Treat Women Like a Pre-Existing Condition, uncovering the latest data on the disparities women face in health care coverage. Some of our findings included: The extent of gender rating —…
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Health Reform Bill’s Pediatric Dental Benefit Could Have A Tremendous Impact on Children’s Health
Meg Booth, Deputy Executive Director, Children’s Health Dental Project In the past months of health reform debate, we at Children’s Dental Health Project have continuously heard the surprise and elation that all of the House and Senate Committees debating this issue included a dental benefit for children as part of their proposals. The disappointment later…
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NBC Nightly News Covers Cut to Parent Coverage in Arizona
By Joe Touschner As any parent who has faced the challenge of being sick and trying to fulfill their parenting duties will tell you – the well-being of children is highly dependent on the well-being of their parents. That’s why it is so important that federal health reform include affordable health care options that will…
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Federal Options for Improving Public Program Enrollment & Retention
Author: Dawn Horner United Hospital Fund — Presentation Document October 2009
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Children in Health Reform: What’s at Stake?
By Jocelyn Guyer Moms Rising — Presentation Document October 2009
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Setting the Record Straight on Medicaid and Access
In the past few months, opponents of health reform have made many false claims about various aspects of legislation moving through Congress. The most recent example that comes to mind are the charges made about Medicaid during mark-up of the Senate Finance Committee bill. Opponents slung a lot of mud at the Medicaid program and…
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New CHIPRA Dental Standards: A Victory for Kids!
CMS released the latest in a series of state health official letters providing guidance on CHIPRA implementation. This seventh letter focuses on the new mandatory dental provisions for separate CHIP programs, as well as the option these states have to provide a stand-alone dental plan to children who are insured or underinsured but would otherwise…
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FMAP – A Four-Letter Acronym that Inspires Controversy
By Martha Heberlein As a shared federal-state program, the distribution of financing in Medicaid has long been an area of debate. Whenever changes in the program are discussed (or as in the debate over the stimulus package, increases are considered), distributional questions come up. How much should the federal government pay versus the states? How…
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Adopted Rockefeller Amendment Will Improve Children’s Health Coverage in Senate Finance Committee Health Reform Measure
Statement by Joan Alker, Co-Executive Director, Center for Children and Families at Georgetown University’s Health Policy Institute The Rockefeller amendment is an important step for children and for the nation. It builds on the success of programs that work – Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). By continuing Medicaid for children and CHIP…
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Amended Baucus Bill: Good Politics, Bad Policy?
CQ Health Beat October 2, 2009 October 2, 2009 — Thursday’s efforts by the Senate Finance Committee to prepare health overhaul legislation for Senate floor action gave Democrats breathing room politically by weakening penalties for failing to buy health insurance, but fewer uninsured Americans are expected to gain coverage as a result. In addition, insurers…