Salazar to Cover Every Child (PR)

[Robb]

Salazar to Cover Every Child

Thursday, August 12, 2004

(snip)

Salazar has proposed expanding the Child Health Plan Plus (CHIP) to cover every child in families earning up to three times the poverty level and offer tax credits for middle income parents to buy insurance for their children from their employers or CHIP. CHIP is ColoradoÕs health insurance program for children and pregnant women and covers them in families earning too much to qualify for Medicaid but not enough to be able to pay for private insurance. CHIP covers a family of four earning up to $34,800 per year.

ÒNo health care dollars provide more bang for the buck than the investment in childrenÕs health care,Ó said Salazar. ÒEvery child in Colorado should have health insurance -- providing quality health care during childhood years prevents more expensive care later in life.Ó

In addition, recent reports state that Colorado may trim its Medicaid program, halting the practice of paying for pregnant women's health care while they wait to be accepted into Medicaid. This ÒtrimÓ would be detrimental to the health of more of ColoradoÕs low-income families.

Salazar proposes that Congress offer incentives for state and local governments to make their own health care programs more cost efficient to cover more people. The federal government should offer financial incentives for local agencies to consolidate in order to improve health care and reduce costs.

(more)

[CO Liberal]

1. Coors Will Let Them Buy All The Beer They Want!!!!

:-)