[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 126 Introduced in House (IH)]

103d CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 126

Expressing the sense of the Congress that the special health care needs 
 of children should be addressed in any health care reform legislation.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 22, 1993

  Mr. Clement (for himself, Mr. Ackerman, Mr. Cramer, Mr. Filner, Ms. 
Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas, Mr. Kleczka, Mr. McKinney, Mr. Peterson 
   of Minnesota, Mr. Pomeroy, and Mr. Sharp) submitted the following 
 concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy 
                              and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
Expressing the sense of the Congress that the special health care needs 
 of children should be addressed in any health care reform legislation.

Whereas 1 in 4 Americans is a child, and 1 in 4 children live below the Federal 
        poverty level;
Whereas 15 percent of the children who live below the Federal poverty level have 
        no regular source of health care, and a significant number of the 
        children who do have a regular source of care depend on institutional 
        settings, such as hospital emergency rooms, for their health care;
Whereas low-income children are more susceptible to illnesses than their peers 
        and, when they get sick, their conditions are more severe and require 
        more care than children in higher income families;
Whereas low-income children are less likely to receive physical examinations, 
        vision testing, immunizations, and other preventive care;
Whereas every dollar spent on preventive care and early intervention can save 
        $4.75 in costs associated with remedial education, welfare, and crime;
Whereas every dollar spent on immunizations saves more than $10 in costs 
        associated with treating the disease;
Whereas 12,400,000 children in the United States are not covered by health 
        insurance, and millions more are inadequately covered;
Whereas the benefits offered by most health insurance plans that cover children 
        are designed for adult health care needs and patterns of use rather than 
        the health care needs and patterns of use exhibited by children, which 
        are different from those exhibited by adults;
Whereas 1 in 5 children in America live in an urban or rural area that is 
        medically underserved;
Whereas universal entitlement to health care will not automatically provide 
        preventive services to children or assure them access to health care;
Whereas the need for pediatricians and general practitioners exceeds the supply, 
        and the payment systems currently in use discourage physicians from 
        entering these practice areas; and
Whereas our children are our future and, if we fail to protect their health, the 
        future of our Nation will be at risk: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That it is the sense of Congress that any legislation enacted to reform 
the health care delivery system of the United States should address the 
health care needs of children, including the following:
            (1) The special health care needs of children, and their 
        different patterns of using health care services.
            (2) The need to emphasize preventive care.
            (3) The uninsured status of many children, and the 
        inadequacy of the health insurance covering many others.
            (4) The lack of access to health care services even when 
        health insurance is available.
            (5) The lack of incentives for physicians to enter practice 
        areas that serve children.

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