[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 91 (Wednesday, June 25, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1322]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


         THE IMPORTANCE OF MEANINGFUL HEALTH CARE FOR CHILDREN

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. ROBERT T. MATSUI

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 25, 1997

  Mr. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, the bipartisan budget deal that President 
Clinton and Congress have agreed to includes a $16 billion fund to 
extend health care coverage to 5 million children over 5 years. The 
proposal before us, however, extends coverage to only 500,000 
additional children a year. This is clearly insufficient.
  One reason why so few children would obtain coverage is that the 
current proposal contains loopholes that allow the $16 billion fund to 
substitute for new cuts in Federal Medicaid spending. States would also 
be permitted to use the fund as a source of general revenue to cover 
costs totally unrelated to health care, such as paving roads and 
financing tax cuts. The funding intended for children essentially 
creates a new State slush fund with no accountability.
  The proposal before us represents a wasted opportunity. Approximately 
20 million children lack health insurance for at least part of the 
year. In California, almost 20 percent of all children lack health 
insurance. These are children of working families. Nearly 9 out of 10 
uninsured children have at least one parent who works. Almost two-
thirds of these parents work full time.
  Changes must be made before we invest billions of dollars in a block 
grant that does not achieve its intended purpose. The Child Health 
Insurance and Lower Deficit Act (H.R. 1364) and the Child Health 
Insurance Act (H.R. 1363), legislation that I have cosponsored with 
Representative Nancy Johnson, contain provisions that, if adopted, 
would add necessary structure to the block grants and truly enable 
children to receive needed health insurance.
  Proposals in these bills ensure that allocated funds would be 
appropriately directed to deliver solid health care coverage to more 
children. For example, States are directed to contract with insurance 
companies or community health center networks to provide services 
directly to children. Coverage would include access to pediatric 
primary and specialty care providers, including centers of pediatric 
specialized treatment expertise. In addition, the bills make sure that 
States provide a benefits package either equivalent to the Medicaid 
package or comparable to a standard plan currently offered under the 
Federal Employees Health Benefits Program. These basic requirements 
would not handcuff states; rather, they would create a structure that 
would guarantee that children in working families finally obtain 
meaningful health care.
  We have a unique opportunity to achieve the laudable goal of insuring 
children. Yet if we do not add necessary safeguards and enhancements, 
we will not accomplish this goal. Let's not waste this opportunity.

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