1. Connection Found Between Government Health Insurance and Better Child Health Health insurance helps kids access health care--but does it actually help them stay or become healthier? Until now, there was scant evidence to link the increased care with improved health outcomes. A new Rand study finds a statistically significant connection between kids' access to health care through government health insurance and meaningful improvements in health and quality of life (based on California's large-scale Healthy Families program). 2. Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007 On April 26, Senators Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME) introduced the "Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007," S. 1224. The bill focuses on improving the quality of children's health programs, as well as access to coverage for uninsured children who are otherwise eligible but remain unenrolled in the State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) or Medicaid. S. 1224 also would expand CHIP coverage to include mental health and dental services. Among other provisions, the bill recognizes children's health insurance as a national priority and authorizes almost $60 billion for CHIP for FYs 2008-2012, includes an option for states to expand their CHIP coverage to 300 percent of the federal poverty level, facilitates CHIP enrollment of uninsured and otherwise eligible children by eliminating the requirement of an in-person interview for applications and renewals, and allows states to rely on determinations made by designated "Express Lane" agencies to decide a child's eligibility for Medicaid or CHIP. The bill includes the use of enhanced information technology to simplify eligibility determinations and increases reimbursement for language services to facilitate enrollment and services to individuals with limited English proficiency. 3. States Moving Forward on Children's Health Insurance A new report by the Georgetown Center for Children and Families (CCF) confirms that state governments are taking strong steps to strengthen and expand children's health insurance, but quick supportive action by Congress is critical to the success of these efforts. The report, "Children's Health Coverage: States Moving Forward," highlights actions in 29 states and the District of Columbia. The report highlights that since January 2006 states have enacted or advanced proposals to increase enrollment of uninsured children already eligible for public health insurance and, in some instances, to expand eligibility for these programs. The report also underscores bipartisan support for children's health insurance in state capitals, noting examples of leadership by Democratic and Republican officials. "This is not a partisan issue, it's a kids' issue, a families' issue, and a communities' issue," said Amy Rosenthal, New England Alliance for Children's Health program leader. "Democrats and Republicans in statehouses throughout the country are taking action as private health insurance becomes less available and more expensive for families and businesses." The report emphasizes that the upcoming congressional debate on reauthorizing the State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) will play a critical role. Congress has taken strong initial steps, by passing budget resolutions that allocate $50 billion in new resources for CHIP over five years. States cited in the report are: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Florida, Hawai`i, Illinois, Iowa, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. 4. Healthy Child Campaign Seeks Coverage for All Children Every child in the United States, regardless of immigration status or family income, should have access to comprehensive health and mental health care, according to The United Methodist Church's women's organization. To help achieve that goal, the Women's Division of the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries is joining the "Healthy Child Campaign: Covering All Children in 2007," sponsored by the Children's Defense Fund. In her address, UMW chief executive Lois Dauway said 9 million U.S. children are without health insurance, even though nearly 90 percent of those children live in households with working parents. "Many of these children are eligible for coverage under Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program but are not enrolled in existing programs in large part because of different eligibility and enrollment barriers that make it difficult to obtain or keep coverage," Dauway said. "Millions more children are underinsured or at risk of losing coverage if their parents change jobs or more employers drop family coverage." One such child at risk was Devante Johnson of Houston. He suffered from advanced cancer of the kidneys and depended on Medicaid for treatments that he needed to survive. Despite his mother's best efforts, Devante's paperwork for renewal for Medicaid was lost in the bureaucracy and he was without coverage for four months in 2006. "During this time, he depended upon clinical trials for care and his tumors continued to grow," Dauway said. "A state representative intervened to restore coverage, but it was too late. On March 1, 2007, Devante Johnson died from complications of cancer. He was 14 years old." The goal of the Healthy Child Campaign is to consolidate children's health coverage under Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program into a single federal program that guarantees all medically necessary services for children. According to the Children's Defense Fund, the cost is estimated at $26.1 billion a year, which equals 25 days of spending on Medicare in 2007 and 16 days of general military spending this year. Because it would be a federal program, states would not incur additional cost for expanding coverage and enhancing benefits. Under the program, children age 18 and younger whose family income is at or below 300 percent of the federal poverty level would be covered. Children with family incomes over the 300 percent level could buy into the program. Pregnant women at or below the 300 percent level would be eligible for prenatal, delivery, and postpartum care. The Women's Division, which administers the church's United Methodist Women's groups, plans to support the Healthy Child Campaign through petitions, an action alert and opportunities for education and awareness. [Linda Bloom, United Methodist News Service, 04/24/07]