2010
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Arizona Drops Children’s Health Program
The New York Times March 18, 2010 Arizona on Thursday became the first state to eliminate its Children’s Health Insurance Program when Gov. Jan Brewer signed an austere budget that will leave nearly 47,000 low-income children without coverage. The Arizona budget is a vivid reflection of how the fiscal crisis afflicting state governments is cutting…
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Medicaid Fiscal Relief Q&A
The new game in DC these days seems to be naming every other bill coming out of Congress a “jobs bill.” While the provisions in each of these bills may indeed focus on job creation, it has become nearly impossible to keep the different bills straight. It becomes particularly perplexing when tracking an issue many…
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Let’s Take a Break from Biting Our Nails on Health Reform to Think About Teeth
Mom: “Did you brush your teeth?” Child: “Yep.” Mom: “How come your toothbrush isn’t wet?” This is an excerpt from the script of the bedtime drama performed live nightly in the comfort of my own home. Just between you, me and the tooth fairy … after battling on the nutrition, hygiene and homework fronts, I…
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Health Reform Expected to Be Moving Next Week in House; Prospects for Fiscal Relief Remain Good
By Jocelyn Guyer Brace yourselves for a hectic few weeks leading up to the Congressional recess. According to CQ, House leadership is preparing for a possible final vote on health reform as soon as next week. It is still unclear whether or not they have the votes to pass the measure, which would actually be…
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Holding Steady: Medicaid Fiscal Relief and its Implications for America’s Children and Families
In the current recession, Medicaid has become more important than ever, offering coverage to an additional 2 million children. This issue brief explores the role that Medicaid fiscal relief has played in sustaining affordable coverage options for children and their families during these uncertain times, and the risk of unraveling the progress that has been…
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Ohio Accepts Sebelius’ Challenge to Enroll All Eligible Kids
March 10, 2010 was a memorable day for children’s health advocates in Ohio. Ohio became the first state to join HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius’ quest to enroll all children eligible for Medicaid and CHIP. In accepting the challenge Secretary Sebelius issued to states in November at the National Children’s Health Insurance Summit to enroll all eligible children,…
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CCF Coming to a City Near You
CCF is hitting the road! We’ve scheduled four meetings around the country to bring together child and family health advocates to discuss opportunities and challenges for moving forward on coverage. Our first meeting, for the Southern region, took place last week in Tampa, Florida and despite how difficult it is to hold a health conference…
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CCF’s Regional Meeting – Just What the Dr. Ordered
By Michele Johnson Managing Attorney and Co-Founder, Tennessee Justice Center The Southern Regional Meeting of Transforming Health Care Coverage for Children and Families was just what the doctor ordered. For anyone feeling down about health reform or frustrated with the status quo, you need to attend this meeting! The technical information about the health care…
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Should we be adding people to Medicaid?
A recent subtext in the debate on health care reform has been about Medicaid’s alleged failure to provide its enrollees with access to care – the argument goes that the parents and childless adults who would be added to Medicaid as a result of leading proposals would mean that 15-18 million people would be dumped…
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CHIP Tips: Children’s Oral Health Benefits
Written with the Children’s Dental Health Project, this brief examines a new requirement under the Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 that state CHIP programs cover comprehensive dental benefits. The reauthorization law also allows states with separate CHIP programs to offer a dental-only plan for children who have other health insurance but lack…
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Monday Morning…. Where Are We?
Having just survived a truly impressive tantrum this morning from one of my sons who was deeply committed to going to school this morning without shoes, I’m feeling primed for what promises to be a raucous final stage of the health reform debate. As far as we know, Congress is still proceeding with the plan of…
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An Update on State Fiscal Relief: Momentum is Building
By Jocelyn Guyer The pressure to extend the temporary increase in the federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP) for Medicaid included in last year’s stimulus bill is building. Widely credited with helping states through one of the worst fiscal crises on record, the provision also has been vital in stabilizing Medicaid coverage for children and others…
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CHIP Allotments: Federal Funding Remains Secure for States
One of the goals of CHIPRA was to ensure that no state would be at risk of exhausting the federal funding needed to cover uninsured children through its CHIP program. Recent data show that the legislation is working as intended, as states have had the federal resources they need to sustain and strengthen their CHIP…
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President Obama: It’s Time to Bring this Journey to an End
Following last week’s health care summit and release of his health care reform proposal, the President today urged Congress to end the debate and bring health reform across the finish line. In his remarks, the President painted a vivid picture of what it means to not pass health reform, including more uninsured families, additional people…
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White House Health Reform Announcement Expected @ 1:45 p.m.
President Obama is expected to make his much anticipated health reform announcement at 1:45 pm today in the East Room of the White House. He will be flanked by HHS Secretary Sebelius and health care professionals. He is expected to encourage Congress to move forward swiftly. Say Ahhh! bloggers will share our perspectives following the…
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What If Health Reform Efforts Fail?
As leaders in Washington debate the future of a plan to get our nation’s arms around the colossal health care system, it’s worthwhile to take a look at how things would be different today if some past health reform efforts had succeeded. What if … President Nixon’s plan had passed before he left office? According…
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White House Health Care Summit
5:30 pm Signing off Thanks for taking the time to follow the health reform summit. At CCF, we’re anxious to hear your reaction to the summit and what it means for the prospects of health reform and its impact on children and families. For a transcript of the health reform summit, visit Kaiser health news. Don’t forget to…
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President Obama’s Health Care Reform Proposal: Key Medicaid, CHIP, and Low-Income Provisions
President Obama’s health reform plan set the stage for the bipartisan health reform summit the White House convened. This fact sheet provides a description of the key Medicaid, CHIP, and low-income provisions.
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Clawback Provision Brings More Fiscal Relief to States
You know those Old Westerns where the hero rides in at that last minute to save the day. That’s what last week’s “clawback” reduction announcement must have felt like to many states trying to maintain their Medicaid programs in the wake of increased need and reduced revenues caused by the recession.
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CHIPRA Strengthening Quality of Children’s Health Care
Charlie Homer President and CEO, National Initiative for Children’s Healthcare Quality In this time of agonizing about broad health care reform, I take solace in celebrating the passage of CHIPRA (the Child Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act) just over a year ago, and focusing on its productive implementation. CHIPRA not only expanded access to health insurance…