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To extend needed health coverage to more uninsured children in North Carolina, Congress should act to reauthorize SCHIP, adequately fund states’ children’s health insurance programs and revoke the August 17th directive that currently limits states’ ability to cover more children.
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 NC 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.
Progress during the 2007 Legislative Session
During the 2007 legislative session, the NC General Assembly passed NC 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 there are currently two federal roadblocks in place.
SCHIP Reauthorization and Funding
Despite broad public and Congressional support, the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) was not reauthorized in 2007. Twice in 2007 President Bush vetoed SCHIP reauthorization bills that had bipartisan support and would have expanded the program to cover more children. Instead, Congress passed and President Bush signed the Medicare, Medicaid and SCHIP Extension Act of 2007 (S. 2499), a stop-gap measure to extend SCHIP until March 31, 2009. The Act provides sufficient funding for states to continue covering the six million children currently enrolled in the program, but it does not allow for expansion.
Bush Administration SCHIP Directive
The Bush Administration issued a directive in August 2007 that prohibits the full implementation of NC Kids’ Care by effectively capping eligibility for SCHIP at 250% of the FPL ($53,000 a year for a family of four). NC has scaled back its planned expansion to 250% of the FPL and pushed back implementation until July 2009, when a new administration will be in place. There is support in Congress to revoke the directive, but attempts to date have failed.
What You Can Do
In 2007, when they passed NC Kids’ Care, state lawmakers recognized the need for all of North Carolina's children to have health insurance. The NC Senate has since pulled back from that pledge, limiting state funds to NC Health Choice and eliminating 2008-2009 funding for NC Kids’ Care. Now it’s up to Congress and the White House to act.
- Reauthorize the SCHIP program;
- Fund it adequately to allow states to cover currently enrolled children and grow their coverage rates;
- Pass a moratorium on the August 17th SCHIP directive to allow NC and other states to cover children above 250% of the federal poverty level.
For More Information
Action for Children SCHIP Fact Sheet
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
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