[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 144 (Thursday, November 3, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2254]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        RECOGNIZING THE ALL KIDS HEALTH CARE PROGRAM OF ILLINOIS

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. RAHM EMANUEL

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, November 2, 2005

  Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Illinois Governor 
Rod Blagojevich for establishing the All Kids health care program, and 
the Illinois General Assembly for passing this important initiative. 
This plan makes Illinois the first State in the country to provide 
comprehensive health insurance to every child in the State.
  The All Kids program will target the estimated 253,000 uninsured 
children in Illinois; providing coverage for children from working 
families that earn too much to qualify for existing programs but not 
enough to purchase private health insurance.
  According to a National Health Interview Survey, 39 percent of 
American children did not visit a doctor in the past year, and 38 
percent have no regular facility to utilize for their health care 
needs. Because their parents cannot afford hospital bills, uninsured 
children are six times as likely as insured children to have serious 
health issues go untreated. As a result, they are at higher risk for 
hospitalizations and missed diagnoses of serious illnesses. Improved 
health care for children is not the only benefit of this program. 
Studies show that children with health insurance are more likely to 
attend school consistently.
  Additionally, the grades and test scores for insured children are 
substantially higher than their uninsured peers.
  By moving a majority of Illinois' Medicaid beneficiaries into a 
primary care case management program where every beneficiary has their 
own family doctor, the State will save millions of dollars that will be 
used to pay for the All Kids program and provide more Illinois children 
with basic health care.
  The State of Illinois has taken responsibility for the children and 
their families who do not have this critical coverage. The program 
enacted by the State of Illinois is set to begin in July 2006.
  With 45.8 million uninsured Americans in 2004, it is time to stop 
ignoring the problem and to start taking action. I congratulate the 
Illinois General Assembly and Governor Blagojevich for a job well done, 
and I urge my colleagues to take a look at what Illinois is doing to 
help provide health care for children.

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