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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, May 30, 2008
For Media Assistance
SACRAMENTO, California – On behalf of the 100% Campaign (The Children's Partnership, Children Now and Children's Defense Fund) and PICO California, Ted Lempert, president of Children Now, issued the following statement regarding the Senate Budget Committee's action to impose Mid-Year Status Reporting (MSRs) on children enrolled in Medi-Cal:
"We are extremely disappointed in the Senate Budget Committee's decision today to approve a proposal that would impose harsher requirements for children on Medi-Cal by forcing them to re-enroll in the program every six months, instead of the current yearly requirement. This proposal will bury families in red tape, increase the state's administrative costs, and, most importantly, cause children to needlessly go without health care.
"Based on California's own past experience, and the experience of other states, the MSRs impact would result in an enormous drop in coverage. Over time, roughly 236,000 children would lose coverage, based on assumptions used in the Senate Committee recommendation. That's more than a 30% increase in the number of uninsured children across California, and that is unacceptable.
"More importantly, as difficult as fiscal times are for the state, they are even worse for our working families. Many hard-working parents are losing their jobs, and are being burdened by a failing housing market and high gas prices. More than ever, California families need health security for their kids.
"Make no mistake, shifting from Governor's proposal to require children to renew coverage every three months to every six months is not a less harmful compromise. A recent study demonstrates that, on average, half of children enrolled in Medi-Cal will be dropped from coverage at each renewal period. Thus, while the drop-off in enrollment may proceed more slowly with MSRs than with quarterly ones, the overall effect over a longer period of time may be similar. Eventually, as many as 500,000 children could lose health coverage due to this proposal.
"Just months ago, our Governor and Legislature were fighting for health care reform, championing coverage for all children. Now they are moving toward approving a budget that will drop hundreds of thousands of more California kids from health coverage. Surely, our children deserve better than that.
"We urge members of the budget conference committee, our legislative leadership, and the Governor to reject outright any proposal to add more red tape that will result in eligible children losing coverage. Increasing the number of uninsured children in California is no way to balance our budget."
The 100% Campaign, a collaborative
effort of Children Now, Children's Defense Fund and The
Children's Partnership, was created to ensure that all
of California's children obtain the health coverage they
need to grow up strong and healthy.
The PICO California Project is the united effort
of 20 California congregation-community organizations
affiliated with the PICO National Network. Collectively,
we represent 350 congregations and 400,000 families statewide
and are actively organizing in over 70 cities in Northern
and Southern California.
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