Children's Health
AMA Cheers New Law to Get Kids Health Coverage
By
Feb 4, 2009 - 4:18:20 PM

(HealthNewsDigest.com) - "The American Medical Association cheers today's new law to extend health care coverage to more American children, the first step in reducing the ranks of the nation's 46 million uninsured. Years of hard work and commitment to reauthorize SCHIP with proper funding and expanded eligibility have finally paid off. Now millions more American children will be able to get the health care they need to have the best chance to learn, develop and succeed in life.

"Sharp increases in unemployment have likely added more children to the ranks of the uninsured and put increasing pressure on state health-care programs. This new law will enable states to extend health care coverage to more children whose parents cannot afford it, but earn to much to qualify for Medicaid. We are particularly pleased that the law will provide more flexibility to states to allow better coordination and partnership with existing employer-provided private health insurance. The enhanced premium assistance provisions should also help to ease budgetary pressures on the SCHIP program.

"Increasing the federal tobacco tax to fund SCHIP is a win-win proposal that will help children get the health care they need, while also acting as a deterrent to young smokers and potential smokers. Studies show that for every 10 percent increase in the price of cigarettes youth smoking is reduced by seven percent, and overall tobacco consumption is reduced by four percent. Higher tobacco taxes result in lower smoking rates in the long run, which will generate long-term health care savings-as fewer smokers means fewer people with strokes, heart attacks, cancer and other smoking-related conditions."

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