Health care reform has been at the forefront of the national debate, and the public reaction to pending reform legislation has intensified. It is critical to the future of Michigan and the country that all children are covered; have access to high-quality, affordable health care; and, are not worse off as a result of reform.
House Action
On November 7, 2009, members of the U.S. House of Representatives took an historical vote and passed a health reform bill, the Affordable Health Care for America Act of 2009 (H.R. 3962). Several positive provisions in the legislation relate to services to children and their families, of concern, however, in the House-passed bill is a provision to eliminate CHIP on December 31, 2013.
Michigan’s CHIP program, MIChild, is separate from the state’s Medicaid program and covers children from 150% to 200% of poverty. Under the House-passed bill, the more than 30,000 Michigan children currently enrolled in MIChild would be moved into the new Exchange where they could face higher costs, and could access fewer benefits.
The House legislation does attempt to safeguard children enrolled in separate CHIP programs by requiring the U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) to study how children would fare in the Exchange, and gives Congress two years to make coverage, benefits, and affordability comparable for children in CHIP. The bill does not, however, prevent children from being moved into the Exchange until coverage, benefits, and affordability are at least comparable.
Senate Action
On November 18, 2009, Senate leadership unveiled the Patient Protection and Affordable Health Care Act (H.R. 3590), which is similar to the House bill with a few key differences regarding financing, effective dates, and the public option plan. The Senate bill includes several provisions to improve access and care for children and families that are also found in the House bill.
The Casey Amendment
Although the Senate bill does keep CHIP, it does not fund it beyond the current reauthorization in 2013. However, Senator Bob Casey (D – PA) has introduced an amendment to improve CHIP, including fully funding it through 2019. The Casey amendment also:
- Requires a report to Congress about the difference between children’s coverage in the Exchange and through CHIP to inform decisions about transitioning kids into the Exchange
- Provides funding incentives for states to implement recognized best practices for streamlining enrollment of eligible children
- Creates an eligibility floor of 250 percent of the federal poverty level beginning in FY 2014
- Prevents states from increasing CHIP costs charged to families
- Requires that states offer children in CHIP the same benefits offered to children in Medicaid
- Provides funding for outreach and enrollment grants begun under CHIPRA
What can you do?
Congress is closer than ever to passing health care reform, and many Americans agree that reform is greatly needed. Advocates for children must not miss this opportunity to ensure that our youngest and most vulnerable citizens have access to high-quality, affordable coverage, including the approximately 160,000 uninsured Michigan children who are not receiving the health care they need to grow and thrive.
Now is the time to contact YOUR members of Congress!
Need more information?
Read the complete action alert from Michigan's Children including more background information on both bills and legislative contact information.