Spokane7
49°
December 28, 2010 in City
State earns bonus for child insurance
Federal money comes amid proposed cuts
A $17.6 million windfall from the federal government could prevent thousands of children in Washington from losing their health insurance in March if the state decides to spend the money on the Apple Health for Kids program, which has been targeted for cuts.
Washington was one of 15 states to receive performance bonuses for enrolling more children in health insurance, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced Monday.
However, the announcement comes two weeks after Gov. Chris Gregoire reluctantly proposed eliminating coverage for about 27,000 children whose citizenship has not been documented.
The federal bonus comes without strings attached, and it will be up to lawmakers to decide whether to apply it to Apple Health for Kids to retain those 27,000 on the state’s health insurance program for children, according to the Children’s Alliance, a nonprofit advocacy group.
“We think this performance bonus is a sensible way to continue providing health care for kids,” said Jon Gould, deputy director of the Children’s Alliance.
State offices were closed Monday as part of budget-cutting furloughs, and the governor’s office could not be reached for comment on whether Gregoire intends to propose using the bonus to avert cuts in children’s health.
Funding for the annual bonuses to the states was included in the Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization legislation signed into law by President Barack Obama in February 2009. They are contingent on states showing progress on covering uninsured children.
Washington created Apple Health for Kids in 2007 with the goal of insuring all children in the state. Though that goal has not been reached, the program insures 718,000 children through a combination of federal, state and family contributions.
The 27,000 children who will be eliminated from coverage as a result of proposed budget cuts do not qualify for Medicaid or the federal Children’s Health Insurance Program because of their citizenship status. Cutting them will save the state about $9 million through June and $59 million in the next two years.
However, eliminating these children from coverage is expected to have long-term consequences for communities and the state’s hospital system, advocates say.
The Children’s Alliance would like to see the federal bonus applied to children’s health to avert the cuts through June, and find a way to sustain the program in the coming biennium.
Rights panel poorly understood 
DHF on December 28 at 5:34 a.m.
With all that money maybe Gregoire will start up another commission to study building a bridge to nowhere. That would put more bureaucrats on the payroll. To leave it to lawmakers to decide is probably what you will get.
philipgregory on December 28 at 6:55 a.m.
For every child that loses health insurance there should first be one state administrator lose his job!
Ninch on December 28 at 8:45 a.m.
Uh… kathrynmuniz ……if you live in Washington State there was a high-risk insurance pool (for pre-existing conditions) long before Obamacare. Quit using misinformation for selling your product.
Great to insure all children in Washington State but the big issue still remains… ACCESS to healthcare. Many many health care providers do not accept medicaid, medicare, and other government programs. Additionally, too many of those who are rural live miles from health care providers. More all-access community clinics that accept these “insurance” programs are the answer as well as charging those who don’t have insurance based on a sliding scale aligned with ability to pay. Unfortunately, the latter option is being severely reduced/eliminated in existing community clinics because of cuts in the state budget. But the bottom line still remains… No matter if one has public or private “insurance” all still do not have ready access to health care.
Marksman on December 28 at 10:44 a.m.
And the money to provide illegals in Washington health insurance coverage is still there!
greenlibertarian on December 28 at 2:45 p.m.
Ninch is unable to discern a spam posting. Not surprising.