KIDDIECARE: MOST STATES STILL EXPLORING OPTIONS
"About half the states are still sorting through a menu ofThis is part of the California Healthline Daily Edition, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.
choices on how to use their shares of the $24 billion" federal
children's health insurance program, according to a "panel of
health care executive experts" who spoke yesterday at a forum
sponsored by the Alliance for Health Reform. Panelists said "all
of the options require careful designs to ensure states not only
receive all the federal money possible, but also serve only those
children who have no other health care options," Congress Daily
reports. Alpha Center's David Helms said "[m]any state
legislators have yet to decide what would work best for their
states." However, he said these lawmakers "should learn from
states that have developed approaches but still need to better
use the media to let parents know about the new services." In
addition, Helms emphasized that "forms and administrative
procedures" for the Kiddiecare programs need to be simplified.
WAYS AND MEANS
John Hurson, the majority leader of the Maryland House of
Delegates, recommended that states "make a distinction between
new choices and Medicaid" to ensure that the Kiddiecare dollars
only go to eligible children. "One way to accomplish this is to
create a modest system of copayments, so the new plan resembles
private sector choices which many people already use," Congress
Daily reports. California Department of Health Services' Lesley
Cummings "warned a 10% cap on administrative costs that
accompanies the new funds could be a problem for many states as
they refine the efficiency of their systems" (12/15). Click here
to find out about the amount of federal Kiddiecare funds each
state is qualified to receive in FY 1998, or click here to read
about the inclusion of the children's insurance program in this
year's federal budget act. You can also use the Kiddiecare quick
search feature of our key-word searchable database. If you don't
have access to our database through National Journal's Cloakroom
Website, send an e-mail to healthline@njdc.com, or call customer
service at 1-800-207-8001.