|
Congress recently reauthorized the State Children's Health Insurance Program, and the President rescinded the previous administration's August 17th directive that was limiting states' ability to cover more children. SCHIP reauthorization and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act mean important federal support for North Carolina's Medicaid and Health Choice programs.
Federal leaders are now working towards the goal of insuring all Americans. Visit Action for Children's Health Reform 2009 webpage. Click here and here for more information on the importance of remembering children in the current health care reform debate.
Overview
In
North Carolina, children in families making less than the federal poverty level (FPL) ($21,200 for a family of four) are eligible for health care coverage through Medicaid. Children in families making up to twice the FPL are eligible for N.C. Health Choice, the state’s Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). Children in families making more than 200 percent of the FPL are not currently eligible for state coverage.
Did you know? In
North Carolina, 264,000 children lack health care coverage—that is enough children to stretch from
Greensboro to
Wilmington holding hands.
Recent Progress
During the 2007 legislative session, the N.C. General Assembly passed N.C. Kids' Care, which would provide children in families earning up to 300 percent of the FPL access to affordable health insurance on a sliding premium scale.
The expansion was due to be implemented in July 2008, but lack of federal funding and a limiting Bush administration directive prevented expansion at that time. Now that the federal roadblocks to expansion have been removed, North Carolina should follow through on the promises of N.C. Kids' Care and ensure all children up to 300 percent of the FPL. The state's ultimate goal should be insuring all of North Carolina's children.
In the 2009 legislative session, the N.C. General Assembly appropriated $17 million to increase the Health Choice rolls by just over 9,000 children -- a great success in the midst of the budget crisis. As the state pulls out of the current recession, Action for Children and partners will be advocating for full funding of Health Choice and implementation of N.C. Kids' Care.
What You Can Do
In 2007, when they passed N.C. Kids’ Care, state lawmakers recognized the need for all of North Carolina's children to have health insurance. The N.C. Senate has since pulled back from that pledge, limiting state funds to N.C. Health Choice and eliminating 2008-2009 funding for N.C. Kids’ Care. Now that Congress and the White House have acted to ensure essential health funding for the states, our state legislators need to hear that we expect full funding of N.C. Health Choice and urge expansion under N.C. Kids' Care to cover even more children.
- Fully fund N.C. Health Choice to cover all eligible children, including state optional categories
- Implement the N.C. Kids' Care program to insure more of North Carolina's children
For More Information
From the Georgetown University Center on Children and Families
The NC Institute of Medicine Task Force on Covering the Uninsured
The NC Institute of Medicine Task Force on Child Health
Kaiser Family Foundation: Health Coverage and the Uninsured
Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured Report: Sicker and Poorer: The Consequences of Being Uninsured
|
Contact your 
