Senate Committee Passes Measure to Ensure Children’s Health Coverage

WASHINGTON D.C. – Today, the Senate Appropriations committee passed a measure to halt regulations imposed by the Bush administration that would limit access to health care for millions of American children living in families unable to afford insurance.

Specifically, the measure passed seeks to reverse a directive issued by the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) that sets forth stringent criteria that would severely restrict children’s health coverage under the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). If implemented, the restrictions will affect children in at least 24 states and the District of Columbia.

The measure passed today, was included in the fiscal year 2009 Labor-Health and Human Service-Education Appropriations bill, and will now move to the Senate floor. Last month, a similar measure was included as part of a war spending package that was passed by the Senate. The measure was later removed by the House of Representatives, which is why it was included as part of a different bill today.

“In just 52 days, implementation of this directive will adversely affect the health of American children by increasing the number of uninsured children in our nation. We commend the Senate Appropriations committee for taking action on the measure passed today,” said Bruce Lesley, President of First Focus, a bipartisan child advocacy organization. “We urge the rest of the Congress to follow this example and make a commitment to ensuring that our nation’s children continue to have access to the services they need in order to grow up healthy.”

First Focus has been an outspoken leader on this SCHIP directive and harmful Medicaid regulations by issuing reports, statements, and letters urging Congress to repeal these harmful measures. In March, First Focus released a report on the impact of the regulatory actions on children with special health care needs, finding that they would have a disproportionate impact on this vulnerable population. Additionally, First Focus spearheaded an effort that engaged 180 local, state and national organizations to urge President Bush, Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt, and congressional leadership to repeal the CMS directive.