Editorial Endorses Proposal of Merging SCHIP, Medicaid Into One Children’s Health Insurance Program
"Congress needs to make sure that no one is without quality health insurance. Providing universal access to health care would be the act of a nation evolving, not simply inching forward," an El Diario La Prensa editorial states. The editorial notes a proposal by the Children's Defense Fund that would "collaps[e] SCHIP and Medicaid coverage into one program for children." Under the proposed Healthy Child Act of 2007, families with incomes up to 300% of the federal poverty level would be eligible to receive coverage, while those above those levels could buy into the program, according to the editorial. The proposal also would simplify the enrollment process, which could help reach uninsured children, particularly Hispanics, who make up the largest proportion of children who lack health coverage, according to the editorial. "The effects of not having health insurance are well documented -- from poor school attendance and performance to devastating effects on household income and public health," the editorial says (El Diario La Prensa, 1/23).
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