It was a great victory for children and families when Congress included a maintenance of effort (MOE) requirement in health reform so states wouldn’t cutback on Medicaid and CHIP coverage before affordable coverage was available through the state Exchanges.  Now, as with so many issues in health care reform, the way it works out for children and their families will depend on how these provisions are interpreted by policymakers in Washington, D.C. and implemented by states. 

Fortunately, the House and Senate leadership and key health reform negotiators are keeping a close eye on the situation.  This week, they stepped forward to urge Secretary Sebelius to issue MOE guidance that will make it clear to states that they cannot set up new enrollment caps or freezes in their Children’s Health Insurance program (CHIP), making it harder for eligible uninsured children to secure coverage.  Specifically, they point out in a new letter to the Secretary that the law prohibits “the implementation of enrollment caps and freezes or other restrictive eligibility procedures that were not already in place and operational as of March 23, 2010”. 

The letter was signed by Speaker Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Reid, Senate Finance Chairman Baucus, House Energy and Commerce Chairman Waxman, Senate Health Care Subcommittee Chairman Rockefeller and House Health Subcommittee Chairman Pallone.  They wrote:  “Working together, we are confident that we can continue the nation’s successful track record of covering low-income children even as we move forward on a parallel track to implement broader reform that covers millions of Americans for the first time.”

I agree with that sentiment, don’t you?