Missed Opportunities In Health Care

WASHINGTON,D.C. – With the number of uninsured American's hovering at 47 million –including almost 10 million children, Energy and Commerce CommitteeVice Chair Diana DeGette (D-CO) today assailed the Bush Administrationfor its failure to tear down barriers to health care. During an Energyand Commerce Health Subcommittee Hearing entitled, "Covering UninsuredKids: Missed Opportunities for Moving Forward," DeGette focused on theCenters for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) regulations that limitboth the eligibility levels of the State Children's Health InsuranceProgram (SCHIP) and states' ability to access Medicaid disproportionateshare funding, which further block access to quality health care.

"The chance to reform health care is a major missed opportunity by theBush Administration," said DeGette. "With the number of uninsuredAmericans growing, this Administration continues to put up roadblocksto health care coverage. For instance, a new directive aimed at thechildren's health program limits states' longstanding flexibility insetting eligibility levels; this only blocks health care coverage fromour nation's poor kids. The Administration imposes an unattainable andunrealistic standard not only making it difficult for states to comply,but tying their hands and preventing them from making decisions thatare best for their own populations."

The August 2007directive mandates that in order to expand coverage levels above 250%of the federal poverty level, states must meet a 95% participation ratefor children below 200% of the federal poverty level. This standard iscompletely unattainable and unrealistic. CMS does not provide guidancefor states on to how to meet such standards or even what data will beused to calculate a 95% compliance rate.

"Another draconianCMS rule limits hospitals' ability to access Medicaid DisproportionateShare funding by changing the definition of ‘public' hospitals. Theimpact of this rule will be devastating to both individuals in thestate and to safety net providers – Colorado alone will see a fundingcut of approximately $140 million. We must do something soon orhospitals across the country will have to start cutting budgets – whichonly hurts patient care," concluded DeGette.

The CMS rule is expected to go into effect in May 2008.