[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 132 (Friday, September 7, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1836]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      H.R. 3162, THE CHILDREN'S HEALTH AND MEDICARE PROTECTION ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. BETTY McCOLLUM

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, September 7, 2007

  Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong 
support of the Children's Health and Medicare Protection, CHAMP, Act to 
help ensure that the 68,000 children in Minnesota without health 
insurance, and the more than 9 million children around the country that 
are uninsured and underinsured, have access to the critical health care 
services they need.
  The State Children's Health Insurance Program, SCHIP, in our state, 
MinnesotaCare, plays an important role in providing health care 
coverage for millions of lower-income children around the country. It 
is available for children whose families do not have health insurance, 
but who do not qualify for Medicaid. Unfortunately, without action from 
Congress, the law authorizing funding for this important program will 
expire at the end of September.
  The CHAMP Act reauthorizes SCHIP and improves the program by 
providing health care for an additional 5 million uninsured children in 
our nation who are eligible, but not currently enrolled in SCHIP. This 
bill also grants states the option to expand SCHIP coverage of pregnant 
women, as well as allowing states to offer health care coverage for 
older children up to age 21.
  In order to be healthy, children need access to comprehensive health 
care. For this reason, I joined several of my colleagues to send a 
letter to Chairman Dingell urging him to include a dental benefit in 
SCHIP. I strongly support that under this legislation, children 
enrolled in SCHIP will receive a guaranteed dental benefit.
  Further, because at least 1 in 5 American children and adolescents 
have a mental health disorder, it is critical that H.R. 3162 requires 
parity for mental health coverage.
  Not only does this legislation strengthen health care for our kids, 
it also helps our nation's seniors. The CHAMP Act preserves seniors' 
access to physicians by preventing a scheduled 10 percent payment cut 
from going into affect, and actually increasing payments to Medicare 
physicians by 0.5 percent for the next 2 years.
  H.R. 3162 also includes several provisions to improve the Medicare 
Part D prescription drug benefit. It caps out-of-pocket spending under 
Part D to 5 percent of annual income and eliminates late enrollment 
penalties for the lowest income Medicare beneficiaries. Additionally, 
this legislation expedites the process to qualify for low-income 
assistance and allows any beneficiary to change plans if a plan changes 
the formulary in a way that results in reduced access to a prescription 
for the individual.

  Further, because there are many concerns about rapidly increasing 
health care costs, this legislation stops overpayments to private 
Medicare Advantage plans, which will save the 82 percent of Minnesota 
beneficiaries enrolled in traditional Medicare plans $10.2 million in 
Part 8 premiums. This bill gradually implements the payment changes, 
which will allow Medicare beneficiaries to choose the plan that best 
meets their needs. H.R. 3162 also raises the asset limits to $17,000 
for individuals and $34,000 for couples, making it easier for seniors 
to qualify for assistance with Medicare Part 8 and D costs.
  H.R. 3162 is endorsed by numerous organizations including the AARP, 
the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, 
the Children's Defense Fund, Families USA, and the National Rural 
Health Association. I have included for the Congressional Record a list 
of organizations that have sent letters in support of this legislation.
  Madam Speaker, it is essential that all Americans have access to 
comprehensive, quality, and appropriate health care. I urge my 
colleagues to join me in voting for this important bill.

                        CHAMP Letters of Support

       AARP, July 26, 2007; Acute Long Term Hospital Association, 
     July 25, 2007; AFL-CIO, July 26, 2007; AFSCME, July 25, 2007; 
     Alliance for Better Health Care, July 26, 2007; Alliance for 
     Retired Americans, July 25, 2007; American Academy of Child 
     and Adolescent Psychiatry, July 26, 2007; American Academy of 
     Family Physicians, July 25, 2007; American Academy of HIV 
     Medicine, July 26, 2007; American Academy of Ophthalmology, 
     July 25, 2007; American Academy of Pediatrics, July 25, 2007; 
     American Association of Neurological Surgeons, July 25, 2007; 
     American Clinical Laboratory Association, College of American 
     Pathologists, Genzyme Corporation, Federation of American 
     Hospitals, National Rural Health Association, July 26, 2007; 
     American College of Physicians, June 24, 2007; American 
     Counseling Association &. American Mental Health Counselors 
     Association, July 25, 2007; American Diabetes Association, 
     July 26, 2007; American Federation of Teachers, July 25, 
     2007; American Gastroenterological Association, July 25, 
     2007; American Hospital Association, July 26, 2007; American 
     Psychological Association, July 25, 2007;
       American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, July 
     24, 2007; Child Welfare League of America, July 26, 2007; 
     Children's Dental Health Project, July 25, 2007; Coalition of 
     Full Service Community Hospitals, July 25, 2007; Coalition to 
     Preserve Rehabilitation, July 26, 2007; Disability Policy 
     Collaboration, July 26, 2007; Easter Seals, July 26, 2007; 
     Families USA, July 25, 2007; Federation of American 
     Hospitals, July 25, 2007; First Focus, July 26, 2007; Friends 
     of NQF, July 25, 2007; Generic Pharmaceutical Association, 
     July 25, 2007; HIV Medicaid/Medicare Working Group, July 25, 
     2007; National Alliance on Mental Illness, July 25, 2007; 
     National Association of Insurance Commissioners, July 25, 
     2007; National Council on Aging, July 26, 2007; National 
     Rural Health Association, July 26, 2007; Illinois Governor 
     Blagojevich, July 26, 2007; Incenter Strategies, July 23, 
     2007; Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International, 
     July 25, 2007; March of Dimes, July 25, 2007; NAACP, July 26, 
     2007;
       National Committee to Preserve Social Security and 
     Medicare, July 25, 2007; National Hispanic Medical 
     Association, July 25, 2007; National Medical Association, 
     July 26, 2007; Premier, July 26, 2007; The Arc: and United 
     Cerebral Palsy, July 26, 2007; The Medicare Cost Contractors 
     Alliance, July 25, 2007; The Society of Thoracic Surgeons, 
     July 26, 2007; Three State of New York Heathcare 
     Organizations, July 25, 2007; Washington State Labor Council, 
     AFL-CIO, July 25, 2007.

     

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