Conference Call Agenda, 7/25 AARP Statement for Record Press Release by Cindy Mann

Briefing with National and State Leaders on SCHIP Reauthorization

Held by Voices And The Ohio Federal Budget Coalition

Ohio House Congressional staff members, advocates and the media participated in a statewide conference call on Wednesday, July 25th. Roberta Downing, Health Policy Staff from Senator Sherrod Brown’s office shared highlights of the Senate version of reauthorization of SCHIP. The Senate version [PDF] of the legislation includes: a $35 billion increase to the program paid for solely by a 61-cent cigarette increase on cigarettes and tobacco products This version will provide health care to 3.2 million currently uninsured children (6.6 million are currently enrolled in SCHIP). In addition, the Senate included: new incentives for states to provide these programs; provisions for express lane state demonstration projects; quality data improvements; translation and interpretation services; targeted programs for outreach to minority populations; $200 million for additional access to dental services; and provisions for reducing administrative barriers for enrollment procedures. Ms. Downing indicated that President Bush is not supporting the Senate version, but the Senator is supportive of the current proposal.

Voices for America’s Children President Bill Bentley shared information about the House version of the legislation [PDF] and shared the primary differences [PDF] between the House and Senate bills.

Heather Burdette with Ohio Health Plans shared the impact the Senate funding will have on Ohio’s allocation. On the Senate side, the amount seems enough, but we are concerned about the 61 cent tax increase and how this would negatively impact state revenues. We like the expansion to pregnant women up to 200% which works very well for Ohio. Ohio is very supportive of outreach and enrollment activities. We are pleased with the provisions on dental support for our kids—oral is the #1 unmet health need.

Lena O’Rourke and Marc Steinberg from Families USA discussed details and opportunities around tobacco taxes and Medicare offsets [PDF]. The Senate version includes a 61-cent cigarette tax and a corresponding tobacco tax to generate $35 billion, and the House version includes a 45-cent per pack tobacco tax increase and corresponding tobacco taxes to generate $27 billion. This is an appropriate offset for several reasons, SCHIP started out of funding through a tobacco tax, there are enormous public health benefits for a tobacco tax. In addition to the tobacco taxes, overpayments from the Medicare Advantage program can be redirected to meet the $50 billion increase. Additional information can be obtained by reading a special report [PDF] by Families USA or "Curbing Medicare Overpayments..." [PDF] by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

Melissa Wervey Arnold, Executive Director of the Ohio Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics shared our goals for the advocacy ask from her organization, Voices, and the Ohio Federal Budget Coalition. The reauthorization of SCHIP represents a singular opportunity to move closer to the widely-shared goal of ensuring that all of America’s children have health care coverage. With close to seven in ten uninsured children now eligible to enroll in Medicaid or SCHIP, states should be provided with the help needed to reach these children. As Congress continues its work to reauthorize SCHIP, it should, at a minimum:

• Fully Fund. It is vital that Congress deliver on its pledge to children’s health coverage by providing the full $50 billion in new funds for SCHIP and Medicaid allowed for in the congressional budget resolutions. This level of funding is the minimum amount that will suffice to allow states to sustain their existing SCHIP programs, and reach a significant share of the uninsured children already eligible for SCHIP and Medicaid.
• Act Expeditiously. If SCHIP is not reauthorized before October 1, it will be extraordinarily disruptive to states, children and their families.
• Reach Eligible Children. Congress should provide states with new tools, options, and financial support to cover more children.
• Eligibility options. States should have the option to cover pregnant women through SCHIP without relying on waivers, as well as to provide SCHIP and Medicaid coverage to those legal immigrant children and pregnant women who currently cannot be covered until they have been in the country for five years.
• Enrollment tools and financial support. These tools should include an “Express Lane” option that allows states to use financial information from other programs (e.g., school lunch, WIC) to enroll children and relief from the paperwork-intensive federal mandate to document citizenship status in Medicaid.
• Promote Quality. Simply providing children with an insurance card – through SCHIP or Medicaid – is not sufficient; health insurance must assure access to the services needed for healthy development, including mental health and dental care. Congress should establish a new child health quality initiative that reflects children’s unique needs and provide new data on the country’s success in meeting those needs.

Voices and the Ohio Federal Budget Coalition urge you to contact Congress and ask them to oppose any weakening amendments and encourage the President to rescind his ill-advised veto threat of the bipartisan SCHIP bill. The more they hear from you and your state partners, the better! You can call these offices by connecting through the Capitol Switchboard at 1.800.828.0498.

Additional resources located in the links to the right include the July 25th briefing agenda, AARP's Statement for Record, and a press release by Cindy Mann