Casey Amendment Would Protect and Ensure Children?s Health Care

Casey Amendment Would Protect and Ensure Children’s Health Care

Free Online Articles Directory

Why Submit Articles?
Top Authors
Top Articles
FAQ
ABAnswers

Publish Article

0 && $ .browser.msie ) {
var ie_version = parseInt($ .browser.version);
if(ie_version Login

Login via

Register
Hello
My Home
Sign Out

Email

Password


Remember me?
Lost Password?

Home Page > Finance > Insurance > Casey Amendment Would Protect and Ensure Children’s Health Care

Categories
AdvertisingArts & EntertainmentAutomotiveBeautyBusinessCareersComputersEducationFinanceFood and BeverageHealthHobbiesHome and FamilyHome ImprovementInternetLawMarketingNews and SocietyRelationshipsSelf ImprovementShoppingSpiritualitySports and FitnessTechnologyTravelWriting

Casey Amendment Would Protect and Ensure Children’s Health Care

By: john willow
Posted: Dec 05, 2009

]]>

U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), a member of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee today introduced an amendment to protect and ensure health care coverage for low-income children.  The amendment would, in part, continue full funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) through 2019, ensure affordable coverage and high quality benefits for children and make it easier for families to enroll in the program.

“We have had some victories in the effort to prevent the dismantling of CHIP, but there is more work to do in order to preserve and improve health care coverage for children,” said Senator Casey.  “My amendment to the Senate health care reform bill will strengthen coverage for children in CHIP through 2019 to ensure quality care for all vulnerable children. The benefits of health care for children, particularly low-income children and children with special needs, are beyond dispute.  Such care will not only help kids developmentally, do better in school and put them on a healthy path in life; it will also reduce long-term health care costs.”

Specifically, Senator Casey’s amendment would:

•    Continue CHIP funding through 2019;
•    Require a report in 2016 that will compare coverage and benefits for low income children under CHIP to the health care Exchange created in the reform bill;
•    Increase federal matching funding for states that implement best practices for enrolling children;
•    Protect children and families by ensuring, through 2013, that states may not reduce eligibility levels in place on October 1, 2009; will also require, beginning in 2014, that all states must cover children in families up to 250% of poverty;
•    Streamline and simplify the CHIP application process to ensure families know about and can take advantage of coverage;
•    Continue million annual enrollment grants through 2019 to improve outreach to families about CHIP services and enroll children;
•    Prevent eligibility errors by improving the eligibility screening process; and
•    Dedicate any savings to be shared 50/50 between deficit reduction and a new fund for vulnerable children and families.

A detailed summary is included below.

Senator Casey has been a strong advocate for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) since his father helped create the Pennsylvania program on which the federal program is based.  He was a leading advocate for the historic expansion of CHIP earlier this year.  And he has been a vocal opponent of the provisions in the original Finance Committee bill that would have dismantled the program.

Read more articles
Fact Sheets Home Health Care
health care reform failed to cure prices
How to Take Health Care Responsibility
boomers will cripple health-care system

Senator Casey spearheaded a letter signed by six other senators urging the Finance Committee to support the amendment by Senator Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) that preserved CHIP.  He recently hosted a widely-attended briefing on the importance of children’s health care.  Senator Casey gave numerous floor speeches on the need to do no harm to children in the health care reform debate.  And he actively lobbied his Senate colleagues and the White House on the importance of maintaining CHIP.

Summary of Casey CHIP Amendment

1.    CHIP continues with full funding through FY 2019. After the country accumulates real-world experience with the new coverage system established by reform legislation, Congress can make an informed decision whether to move CHIP children into the Exchange. In the meantime, the popular and successful CHIP program will continue to serve millions of low-income children, without forcing them into a new and untested system of coverage that would dramatically raise their health care costs and reduce covered benefits.

2.    In 2016, HHS reports to Congress about the difference between subsidized coverage in the Exchange and children’s coverage through CHIP. This report will inform Congress’ decisions about what happens to CHIP after 2019. If Congress decides to move CHIP children into the Exchange, this schedule allows time for a well-planned transition.

3.    States can count on federal CHIP dollars through FY 2019. From FY 2013 through FY 2019, states will qualify for federal matching funds whenever eligible children receive covered services. CHIP’s financial structure will thus fit with broader reform, in which Medicaid and Exchange subsidies are guaranteed without any rigid dollar limits in federal law. As a result, federal CHIP financing, like Medicaid and Exchange subsidies, will automatically adjust to changing conditions in each state, without artificial constraints locked into federal statute.

4.    States receive generous federal funding for all CHIP children. Starting in FY 2014, the federal government will pay between 88 and 94 percent of CHIP costs, depending on the state. To qualify for enhanced funding, states must implement recognized best practices for streamlining enrollment of eligible children.
5.    Children can count on CHIP eligibility. Through FY 2013, states may not reduce CHIP eligibility below levels in effect on October 1, 2009. Beginning in FY 2014, all states must cover children up to at least 250 percent of FPL.

6.    Children can count on affordable access to essential health care. States may not increase CHIP costs charged to families, except to reflect increases in median income among low-income families after FY 2013. And if a state would cover a service for poor Medicaid children, it must offer that same service to CHIP children.

7.    Families can conveniently apply for children’s coverage using their federal income tax returns. Beginning in calendar year 2014, parents can ask for their federal income tax returns to be used to establish their children’s eligibility for Medicaid, CHIP, and subsidies in the Exchange. Unless there is reason to believe that the tax return information is inaccurate, it will determine eligibility whenever possible, without requiring families to complete additional, redundant paperwork. However, no tax information can be disclosed to health agencies unless such agencies have contractual or other legal obligations that, in the judgment of the Treasury Department, fully safeguard taxpayer privacy and data security.

8.    Outreach and enrollment grants begun by CHIPRA continue. Grants of million a year will help community-based organizations and states enroll eligible children into coverage.

9.    Health subsidy programs gain access to the National Directory of New Hires (NDNH), which is the nation’s most comprehensive information about quarterly wage earnings and new hires. Programs like Food Stamps, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and Unemployment Insurance already use NDNH to verify eligibility. By adding Medicaid, CHIP, and Exchange subsidies to the list of programs authorized to access NDNH, the amendment will prevent eligibility errors, safeguard program integrity, and increase the ability of program administrators to establish eligibility based on recent income data.

10.    Any net federal budget savings are shared, 50/50, between deficit reduction and a new Fund for Vulnerable Children and Families. The Secretary of HHS can use this fund to combat infant mortality, help low-income children with autism spectrum disorders and other disabilities, and provide health services (including mental health care) to children who are in foster care or homeless.

john willow – About the Author:

Quoting & Saving just got easier…EasyToInsureME Health Insurance Quotes… Quote all carriers in seconds

Pennsylvania Health Insurance
Connecticut Health Insurance

Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/insurance-articles/casey-amendment-would-protect-and-ensure-childrens-health-care-1545248.html

]]>

Increase your traffic today just by submitting articles with us, click here to get started.

Liked this article? Click here to publish it on your website or blog, it’s free and easy!

Rate this Article

1
2
3
4
5

vote(s)
0 vote(s)

Feedback
Print

0) {
ch_selected = Math.floor(Math.random()*ch_queries.length);
if(ch_selected == ch_queries.length) ch_selected–;
ch_query = ch_queries[ch_selected];
}
}catch(e){
ch_query = document.title;
}
]]>

Article Tags:
health care

Latest Insurance Articles
More from john willow

Trust Deed Expenditure Guidelines – Life Insurance Cover

When people investigate entering a Scottish Trust Deed as a possible debt remedy, they will sometimes read that creditors and have expenditure guidelines and in some cases are put off looking at a Scottish Trust Deed for fear that they will need to give up ‘non-essential’ expenditures such as life insurance cover, some may even consider entering a Trust Deed but cancelling their life cover.

By: TrustDeedScotland

Finance >
Insurance
May 25, 2011

Navigating the Individual Market Under Health Reform

Individual health insurance is one of the fastest growing segments in today’s healthcare market. However, healthcare reform, tax policy changes and insurance mandates have made the rapidly changing landscape of this market a confusing and challenging place for carriers seeking to enter – or expand – in the space.

By: HealthPlan Services

Finance >
Insurance
May 25, 2011

Work and disability insurance to provide you with an income

Work and disability insurance can provide you with an income if you become disabled and can no longer work. If you do not have a disability policy in place, the time may have come to seriously consider getting one. Many people don’t consider disability insurance necessary because they have a life insurance policy in place. But the two policies serve to very different purposes and knowing this can save you a lot of financial problems in the future.

By: Noah Johnson

Finance >
Insurance
May 25, 2011

Things to keep in mind to buy health insurance

In health insurance policies it is more important to understand the exclusions and the inclusions in a health insurance product, which are not always clearly mentioned or described in the policy

By: Vicky

Finance >
Insurance
May 25, 2011

What Factors Determine Long Term Care Costs by State?

Long term care policies have become one of the most valuable and useful necessities that are being offered to the public now. As of the moment, there are already over 10 million Americans who own policies to be used for their LTC needs in the coming years.

By: shevon

Finance >
Insurance
May 25, 2011

Texas Health Insurance Quotes & Plans

Searching for Texas health insurance is no easy task. The simplest and easiest way is to find a convenient source for information regarding health insurance quotes for individual plans.

By: john willow

Finance >
Insurance
Aug 10, 2010

This Week in Health Insurance Reform

Did you know health care fraud constitutes nearly 3% of all health care spending, according to the National Health Care Anti-fraud Association? This translates to billion lost to fraud annually, or over 0 million per day.

By: john willow

Finance >
Insurance
Jun 07, 2010

Cheap health insurance may be underinsurance

whether as premiums, deductibles or both. When the underinsured were added to the uninsured,

By: john willow

Finance >
Insurance
May 22, 2010

Dramatic Budget Cuts In Arizona

“the plan calls for another 7.5 million in spending cuts, more than half of that in state aid to public schools.”

By: john willow

Finance >
Insurance
Mar 18, 2010

Arizona Bill Would Pull Abortion Coverage For All Public Employees

Steinberg gave the example of a case in which a pregnant woman, whose fetus is found to have severe anamolies, could be required to pay out

By: john willow

Finance >
Insurance
Mar 18, 2010

Comments on this article [0]
Add new Comment

Related Videos

Better Health Care For the Deaf

Working With Your Mental Health Doctor

Benefits of Integrative Health Care

Ask a question

Ask our experts your Insurance related questions here…

200 Characters left

Related Questions

How many amendments to the health care bill?
Does american health care system work?
Most people feel health care is priceless; however, health care comes with a steep cost. What factors must be considered when looking at the true cost of care?

]]>

Related Articles
Frequently asked questions about home health care
What is home health care and why do I need it?
New Direction for Health Care Reform
GOP’s Challenge to Health Care Reform
Wisconsin fights health care reform law
the new health care law

Need Help?
Contact Us
FAQ
Submit Articles
Editorial Guidelines
Blog

Site Links
Recent Articles
Top Authors
Top Articles
Find Articles
Site Map
Mobile Version

Webmasters
RSS Builder
RSS
Link to Us

Business Info
Advertising

Use of this web site constitutes acceptance of the Terms Of Use and Privacy Policy | User published content is licensed under a Creative Commons License.
Copyright © 2005-2011 Free Articles by ArticlesBase.com, All rights reserved.

More Health Care Articles