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Learn
more about Advocacy
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Current Advocacy Efforts
Children's Health Coverage Expansion of 2-1-1
for all Californians
Advocacy Strategy
Designed to achieve the
following Community Building
and Impact goals:
Building Adult Living Skills
Developing Children and Youth Supporting Basic Human Needs
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Health Coverage of 700,000 Children Saved
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Sept. 22: Governor Schwarzenegger signed legislation (AB1422) that prevents nearly 700,000 children from losing their Healthy Families health insurance coverage this year. By leveraging federal funds, passage of AB1422 is a bi-partisan win for California kids and tax payers. United Way Silicon Valley advocated with United Ways statewide to restore funding for the widely popular program.
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Advocate
The Time for Action is Now!
The health reform bill passed by the House last month ends CHIP (Children’s
Health Insurance Program – California’s Healthy Families) in 2013, putting
the almost 650,000 children in Healthy Families into the “Exchange” with few
benefits and cost-sharing protections. The Senate bill currently keeps CHIP
until 2019 but includes no additional funding beyond 2013. What’s more, the
current Senate bill leaves children and families open to significantly
higher cost-sharing requirements and lower benefits protections than they
currently receive under CHIP.
On November 30,
Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) introduced the “Casey CHIP Amendment” to the Senate
bill. It adheres to our principle of ‘do no harm” to kids in health reform.
If adopted, this amendment would set the high water mark for protecting kids
in national reform by, among other things:
* Funding the CHIP program through 2019
* Maintaining eligibility levels for CHIP in California up to 250% of the
federal poverty level through 2019
* Providing up to 94% enhanced federal match for states starting in 2014
* Streamlining the CHIP enrollment process.
Learn More...
Section-by-section Amendment Summary and Language
Health Coverage of 700,000 Children Saved
$194 Million to Keep California Children
Enrolled in Healthy Families
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 On Tuesday, September 22, Governor Schwarzenegger signed legislation (AB1422) that prevents nearly 700,000 children from losing their Healthy Families health insurance coverage this year. Healthy Families provides low-cost medial, dental and vision coverage to children from low-income families who do not qualify for Medi-Cal.
The July 2009 budget cuts left the widely popular Healthy Families program $194 million short in the largest single cut to kids' coverage in the history of the United States. As a result of the cut, a waitlist was established in July and over 70,000 new children seeking insurance were put on hold. Additionally, the Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board (MRMIB), which regulates Healthy Families, was to dis-enroll over 600,000 children (including 32,000 children from Santa Clara County) beginning November 1st, unless a solution was found.
With the looming threat of H1N1flu hitting schools this fall, the stakes were even higher. With a coordinated advocacy approach from United Ways of California, combined with the voices of concerned residents, pediatricians, local children's health initiatives and children's advocates statewide, the legislature and governor listened.
In a bi-partisan win for California children and tax-payers, AB1422(Bass) passed through the Assembly and Senate in early September and was signed into law on September 22nd by the Governor.
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Call Senators
Boxer & Feinstein Now!
Since the Senate could vote on
the Casey CHIP Amendment
anytime in next 10 days
Call Today!
Senator Boxer:
Washington DC
(202) 224- 3553
Cerin Lindgrensavage
San Francisco
(415) 403-0100
Jennifer Tang
Senator Feinstein:
Washington DC
(202) 224-3841
Kristin Wikelius
San Francisco
(415) 393-0707
John Murray
Message and Ask
Children need to be protected
in
national health reform.
Senator Casey's amendment
makes sure there is no harm
done by continuing funding for
children & guaranteeing their
comprehensive coverage and
cost sharing through 2019.
Without the Casey amendment, the
health of more than 650,000
California children will be put at risk
by both the Senate and House
healthcare reform bills.
Please support and co-sponsor of
the Casey CHIP amendment.
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AB1422 Specifics
~ $81.4 million contribution from the
First Five Commission
~ $14 million in increases in
premiums and co-pays for Healthy
Families participants
> Doctor visits and prescription
co-pays increase from $5 to $10
> Emergency room visit co-pays
increase from $5 to $15
> Premium increases range from
an additional $4 to $7 per child
per month beginning November
1st (no premium increase for
families under 150% of the
federal poverty line)
~ $100 million from extending the
2.35% gross premiums tax to
Medi-Cal managed care plans
until January 1, 2011, and pulling
down federal matching funds. (The
managed care plans were in
support of AB1422).
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