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The governor's announcement came as health care leaders and state
officials around the nation discussed the importance of SCHIP as
they met during the Campaign for Children's Health Care's
National Town Hall Meeting on Children's Health Coverage,
conducted at 35 locations nationwide, including Springfield and
Chicago in Illinois.
"Here in Illinois, we have developed and implemented innovative
plans to expand access to health care over the last four years,"
Blagojevich said. "It is time for the federal government to
recognize and reward states that are expanding health care to those
who need it, rather than continue the outdated practice of pouring
resources into states that have not taken action on their own to
close the uninsured gap. I look forward to working with members of
Illinois' congressional delegation to make sure the federal
government looks at states' level of commitment to health care
access when deciding what level of support to send from Washington."
The current SCHIP formula, which is partially based on the number
of low-income children who do not have health care, penalizes
Illinois for taking action to provide health care to more children.
Blagojevich called on the Illinois congressional delegation and the
U.S. Congress to revise the formula to be based on the total number
of low-income children in the state and number of children and
parents covered.
The Campaign for Children's Health Care organized the National
Town Hall Meeting on Children's Health Coverage to raise awareness
about SCHIP and to draw attention to children who are still
uninsured and need access to quality health care coverage. Barry
Maram, director of the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family
Services, attended the meeting at St. Anthony Hospital in Chicago on
behalf of the governor, and Anne Marie Murphy, special assistant to
the governor for health care policy, attended the meeting at St.
John's Hospital in Springfield.
On Tuesday, the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured,
one of the nation's most respected independent health policy
research organizations, released a report crediting Blagojevich's
administration for sparking a national movement to provide health
care to all children. Over the last year, Pennsylvania and
Massachusetts have followed Illinois' lead to provide health care to
all uninsured children, and earlier this week, Calif. Gov. Arnold
Schwarzenegger announced his proposal to do the same.
Shortly after taking office in 2003, the Blagojevich increased
the income threshold for children in KidCare from 185 percent of the
federal poverty level to 200 percent, and in November 2005, the
governor signed the All Kids program into law, making health care
affordable for the families of every uninsured child in the state.
The program made Illinois the first state in the nation to offer
affordable, comprehensive health coverage to every uninsured child.
Under Blagojevich, the state has provided health coverage to more
than 313,000 children who didn't have it before.
Blagojevich also worked to further expand FamilyCare by
increasing the eligibility level for benefits on three occasions,
raising it from 133 percent of the federal poverty level (annual
household income of $25,740 for a family of four) to 185 percent of
the federal poverty level (an annual household income of $35,796 for
a family of four). Under Blagojevich, more than 500,000 Illinoisans
now have health care who did not before.
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The governor's All Kids program makes comprehensive health
insurance available to all uninsured children. All Kids covers
immunizations, doctor visits and many other health care services,
such as hospital stays, prescription drugs, vision care and dental
care, as well as medical devices like eyeglasses and asthma
inhalers. Parents pay monthly premiums and co-payments for a variety
of services. Studies have shown that children with health coverage are more
likely to get preventive care, stay healthy and succeed in school.
Families can apply for the program by calling 1-866-ALL-KIDS (1-866-255-5437)
to receive an application form by mail or by visiting
www.allkids.com.
Text of the governor's letter:
Office of the
Governor
Chicago, Illinois 60601
Rod R. Blagojevich
Governor
January 11, 2007
To Members of the
Illinois Congressional Delegation:
As you prepare to
reauthorize the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), I
urge you to update the important program's formula so it creates
rewards and incentives for states that are effectively reducing the
ranks of the uninsured, rather than pouring resources into states
that have not taken action on their own to close the uninsured gap.
Here in Illinois,
we have taken significant action to expand access to healthcare over
the last four years. In 2003, we raised the income threshold for
children from 185 percent of the Federal Poverty Level to 200
percent, and in November 2005, we created All Kids, providing access
to affordable healthcare to every uninsured child in the state. We
have also worked to further expand FamilyCare by increasing the
eligibility level for benefits on three occasions, from 133 percent
of the FPL to 185 percent of the FPL. In total, more than 500,000
Illinoisans now have healthcare coverage who did not before we took
office.
Our efforts have
been nationally recognized and emulated by states across the
country. Earlier this week, the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and
the Uninsured, one of the nation's most respected independent health
policy research organizations, released a new report crediting
Illinois for sparking a national movement to provide healthcare to
all children. Over the last year, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts
have moved to provide healthcare to all uninsured children, and just
this week, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger announced his
proposal to do the same.
The current SCHIP
formula, which is partially based on the number of low-income
children who do not have healthcare, penalizes Illinois for taking
action to provide healthcare to more children. I am urging you to
update the formula by basing funding on our successes - the total
number of low-income children in the state and number of children
and parents covered.
The time to act is
now. On behalf of the 2.1 Illinoisans who are covered by the State
of Illinois, I thank you for your consideration and look forward to
working with you as we continue to lead the nation in helping
families get the healthcare they need.
Sincerely,
Rod R. Blagojevich
Governor
[News release from the governor's office] |
