III 111th CONGRESS 1st Session S. RES. 170 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES June 8, 2009 Mr. Casey (for himself, Mr. Dodd, Mr. Brown, Mr. Whitehouse, and Mr. Sanders) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Finance RESOLUTION Expressing the sense of the Senate that children should benefit, and in no case be worse off, as a result of reform of the Nation's health care system.

Whereas Medicaid is a cornerstone of the Nation's health care infrastructure, providing critical health coverage to Americans who have the greatest needs: children and adults whose financial means are very modest and people who are in poorer health compared to the population at-large, including individuals with significant disabilities and those with multiple chronic illnesses; Whereas Medicaid provides health coverage to 1/4 of the Nation's children and more than 1/2 of all low-income children; Whereas because minority children are more likely to be from low-income families, Medicaid has been shown to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in health care, as it provides coverage for 2 out of every 5 African-American and Hispanic children; Whereas by limiting cost-sharing and premiums, Medicaid provides a comprehensive benefit package and ensures that children have access to affordable coverage and the health care services they need to stay healthy and meet developmental milestones; Whereas Medicaid is designed to meet the complex health care needs of low-income and special needs children by including a wide range of essential and comprehensive services that many private insurers do not cover; Whereas Medicaid provides developmental assessments for infants and young children (including well-child visits, vision and hearing services, and access to a wide range of therapies to manage developmental disorders and chronic illnesses) and coverage for in-home support, long-term care for special needs children, and transportation services; Whereas Medicaid provides a care coordination benefit that supports at-risk children by coordinating State health services, thereby furthering the ability of States to effectively coordinate medical and social services that are provided by multiple organizations and agencies; Whereas administrative spending is lower in Medicaid than through private insurance; Whereas Medicaid is critical for ensuring that children have access to safety-net providers in their local communities and for training health care professionals, including pediatricians; and Whereas Medicaid provides low-income children with the full complement of services they need to meet their unique health and developmental needs: Now, therefore, be it

That it is the sense of the Senate that— (1)Congress should ensure that reform of our Nation's health care system shall benefit all children and that no child shall be worse off, particularly the most vulnerable low-income children and children with disabilities; and (2)strengthening our Nation's Medicaid program should be a priority and that low-income children should not be moved into a health care exchange system that could disrupt and diminish their benefits, cost-sharing protections, availability of care standards and protections, and access to supports, services, and safety-net providers.