KIDDIECARE: 2.4 Million Kids Will Be Covered Nationally

      The Clinton administration plans to release a progress report today outlining how states are implementing the Children's Health Insurance Program, a health insurance initiative targeting the children of working poor families that was included in the 1997 Balanced Budget Act. According to the report, about "2.4 million low-income children will get health insurance over the next three years under" the Kiddiecare law. To date, 38 states have had their programs approved by the federal government, and other 11 states are working on plans (Page, USA Today, 10/1).

N.C. Enrollment Begins
      Eligible children can begin enrolling in North Carolina's Kiddiecare program today. The N.C. Health Choice program is "a $100 million initiative with the potential to serve 71,000 youngsters a year from working-class families." According to the Raleigh News & Observer, North Carolina does not plan to use TV and radio ads to tout the program, choosing to rely "largely on word of mouth and volunteer organizations." This approach concerns some health care advocates. N.C. Health Access Coalition's Adam Searing said, "If I were running the thing, I'd have full-page ads in every newspaper in the state. I'm a bit concerned that this is not going to have the desired effect of getting folks in" (Wagner, 10/1).