1. State Coalition Meeting A friendly reminder that our presentation, "Working with Families from China, Vietnam, and the Philippines," is May 14 at 10:00 am at the YWCA. Go to http://www.coveringkids.com/calendar/ and click on the event for location details and link to a map. 2. Updated Med-QUEST Enrollment Data Numbers for December, January, and February have been added to the spreadsheet that can be downloaded at http://www.coveringkids.com/news/Section_37.asp. 3. "Health Insurance for Children" Report Available This report examines issues surrounding children's health insurance in the United States. Commissioned by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, it focuses on various efforts to provide children with health insurance. Articles within the report summarize knowledge, research, and recommendations to advance and extend programs that insure children. Some of the topics in the report: *Health Insurance for Children: Analysis and Recommendations *Which Children Are Still Uninsured and Why *Enrolling Eligible Children and Keeping Them Enrolled *Assuring Access to Health Care for Special Populations The news release and links to the report are at http://www.futureofchildren.org/newsletter2861/newsletter_show.htm?doc_id=162098 4. Rockefeller Promotes Health Plan New program would insure all children until the age of 23 Charleston Daily Mail 03/12/03 WASHINGTON--Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., is proposing a new federal health program that would be to children what Medicare is to seniors. The plan, dubbed MediKids, would guarantee all American children comprehensive health coverage from birth, with wealthier parents picking up the tab or substituting their own insurance. "We want to challenge Congress and the administration to move somewhere close to their rhetoric," Rockefeller said at a Tuesday news conference. "Kids have to be covered. On that, we will not relent." Modeled after Medicare, the health care program for older and disabled Americans, MediKids would provide age appropriate benefits, including prescription drugs. Beginning in 2004, all children would be enrolled from birth. Older children would be phased into the program over the next five years. The lowest income families would pay no premiums or co-payments, while wealthier parents would pay a graduated premium, depending on income. Premiums would be collected with tax payments. Parents also could opt out of the program, choosing to insure the child through employer-based coverage. Participants could remain in MediKids until they turn 23 years old. Richard Bucciarelli, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, praised the bill's "cradle to college" coverage. Children with health insurance are sick less often and learn better in school, he said. Currently, about 9 million children across the country lack health insurance. MediKids could cost millions of dollars, although there is not yet a specific budget estimate. Rockefeller and House sponsor Pete Stark, D-Calif., don't tie the concept to a particular funding source, but the senator suggested President Bush's tax cut proposal could be expended on health care.