Medicaid

Protecting the Medicaid Safety Net Act of 2008

hmoroz — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 12:38:59 -0400

Legislation

The middle class

Supports

Video Summary

Injustice Facts

Number of jobs the State of California alone stands to lose as a result of lost federal Medicaid funding from the new regulations, according to Families USA: 46,700

Year when the Departments of Health and Human Services, Education and Agriculture published a report concluding that schools were the best conduit for enrolling poor children in Medicaid: 2000

Date on which the Department of Health and Human Services acted to eliminate federal funds for outreach and enrollment of children in Medicaid through schools: 12/28/2007

Number of people – predominantly mentally ill individuals – who received psychiatric and other rehabilitation services under Medicaid in 2007: 1.46 million

Estimated amount of money the federal government would save in 2009 by ceasing to cover these services: $360 million

Approximate number of hours it takes to spend $360 million on the war in Iraq: 25

Overview/Summary

Middle Class Position Analysis

The Middle-Class Supports. More than 55 million Americans, predominantly low-income people and people with disabilities, rely on Medicaid for their health care coverage. By halting dramatic restrictions in federal funding for Medicaid, this legislation not only ensures continued health care access for these aspiring middle-class beneficiaries but also prevents a devastating loss of funding to states, public hospitals, and local schools which are already struggling during the economic downturn. In reality, the Medicaid regulations imposed by the Bush Administration do little to reduce Medicaid costs – they simply transfer these costs from the federal government onto states, hospitals, and local governments. In an effort to cope with the added cost burden, services that benefit the middle class, from trauma care at hospitals to public education, are put at risk.

Quotes from Experts

Beyond this Bill

Additional Resources

“Medicaid: Overview and Impact of New Regulations”, from the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured

“Administration’s Medicaid Regulations Will Weaken Coverage, Harm States, And Strain Health Care System”, by Allison Orris and Judith Solomon from the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities

Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007 [Revised bill]

atraub — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 18:08:54 -0500

Legislation

The middle class

Supports

Video Summary

Injustice Facts

Number of children who would have health care coverage by 2012 if this legislation passes who would otherwise be uninsured: 3.9 million

Increase in the number of uninsured children between 2005 and 2006: 611,000

Percentage of uninsured children who saw a doctor for a medical check up, emergency care, or any other reason during the previous year: 51

Percentage of insured children who saw a doctor in that time: 76

Overview/Summary

Middle Class Position Analysis

The Middle Class Supports: SCHIP has been highly successful at reducing the number of uninsured children, but a lack of funding has limited its reach, leaving 9 million American children uninsured in 2006. The shortfall has consequences, not only for children’s individual health and well-being, but for society as a whole, which bears the cost of preventable emergency room visits from children who never got preventive care. By renewing SCHIP and expanding it to more low- and middle-income children, this bill offers children a healthy start in life.

Steeply rising costs over the past several years have made health coverage unaffordable, not only for the poor, but also for a growing number of middle-class families. Since 2000, the premium that the average American employee pays for health coverage has risen more than 83 percent, increasing more than four times faster than wages. At the same time, more employers are dropping insurance plans entirely, and coverage is even more expensive for Americans who must purchase it themselves on the open market. Being able to take a child to the doctor for regular check-ups and immunizations is fundamental to a middle-class standard of living.

Quotes from Experts

Beyond this Bill

Additional Resources

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities Health Policy page, with an SCHIP subsection

“Foundation Resources on the State Children's Health Insurance Program and the Debate on Its Reauthorization,” from the Kaiser Family Foundation

“SCHIP 101:What Is the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, and How Does It Work?” from Families USA

Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007

atraub — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 11:16:52 -0400

Legislation

The middle class

Supports

Video Summary

Injustice Facts

Number of children who would have health care coverage by 2012 if this legislation passes who would otherwise be uninsured: 3.8 million

Increase in the number of uninsured children between 2005 and 2006: 611,000

Percentage of uninsured children who saw a doctor for a medical check up, emergency care, or any other reason during the previous year: 51

Percentage of insured children who saw a doctor in that time: 76

Overview/Summary

Middle Class Position Analysis

Quotes from Experts

Beyond this Bill

Additional Resources

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities Health Policy page, with an SCHIP subsection

“Foundation Resources on the State Children's Health Insurance Program and the Debate on Its Reauthorization,” from the Kaiser Family Foundation

“SCHIP 101:What Is the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, and How Does It Work?” from Families USA

Amendment to Restore Medicaid and EITC Programs of 2004

atraub — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 17:18:30 -0400

Legislation

The middle class

Supports

Video Summary

Injustice Facts

Number of working Americans lifted out of poverty each year by the Earned Income Tax Credit: 4.8 million

Maximum income for a single parent with two children to qualify for the EITC: $34,458

Income of the households that get the largest tax cut in dollar terms from other tax legislation enacted in 2004: $200,00–$500,000

Percentage of births in the United States paid for by Medicaid: 40

Percentage of nursing home days paid for by Medicaid: almost half

Minimum proportion of American children who get their health care coverage from Medicaid: 1 in 4

Overview/Summary

Middle Class Position Analysis

The Middle Class Supports. Medicaid and the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) program are vital for low-income Americans seeking to move into the middle class. The EITC provides a refund to low-wage workers, depending on the size of their families. The program lifts nearly 4.8 million Americans out of poverty by boosting the incomes of working people trying to support their families on entry-level wages as they seek to get ahead. Many EITC beneficiaries are former welfare recipients becoming self-supporting for the first time. What's more, EITC rebates have an immediate positive effect on the economy as a whole because low-income families are the most likely to spend their money right away on food, clothing, transportation and other necessities. Medicaid is a joint federal and state program that provides health care coverage for low-income people, as well as some senior citizens and people with disabilities. While eligibility for Medicaid varies by state, the program provides insurance for over 50 million Americans who would otherwise be left without access to needed medical care. Federal cuts to Medicaid funding would push more of the burden onto the states, which are already struggling with swelling Medicaid costs. Restoring proposed cuts to these programs helps low-income working Americans and their families to climb into the middle class.

Quotes from Experts

Beyond this Bill

Additional Resources

Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 (House vote)

atraub — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 12:53:19 -0400

Legislation

The middle class

Opposes

Video Summary

Injustice Facts

Estimated amount of child support that will go uncollected over five years due to this bill’s cuts to enforcement budgets, according to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO): $2.9 billion
Amount of additional childcare funding the CBO estimates states would need over five years to provide programs enabling welfare recipients to meet the new work requirements in this bill: $8.4 billion

Overview/Summary

Middle Class Position Analysis

The Middle Class Opposes. Hurricane Katrina’s devastating aftermath starkly revealed the deep inequalities and entrenched poverty that still afflict our nation. In the wake of the disaster, many hoped that Congress would renew its focus on the hurdles faced by low-income Americans struggling to attain a measure of middle-class security. In the midst of a prolonged budget fight that continued well into 2006, Congress instead approved this legislation, providing inadequate funding to Katrina survivors and imposing arduous new work requirements on welfare recipients while cutting back on programs like Medicaid, foster care and child support that ensure the nation’s poorest and most vulnerable children get a fair and healthy start in life. At the same time, the budget squeezes new government recepits from financially-strapped parents and college students paying student loans, increasing financial hardship for those striving to get the education that can enable them to enter the middle class. While reducing deficits was the pretext for this budgetary attack on the aspiring middle class, the bill’s supporters conveniently ignored the fact that these deficits originated in Congress’ own frequent rounds of tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, more of which were set to be approved in 2006. Slashing services for the poor to finance tax cuts for the rich is a recipe for shrinking the American middle class.

Quotes from Experts

Beyond this Bill

Additional Resources

Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 (Senate vote)

atraub — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 12:38:59 -0400

Legislation

The middle class

Opposes

Video Summary

Injustice Facts

Estimated amount of child support that will go uncollected over five years due to this bill’s cuts to enforcement budgets, according to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO): $2.9 billion

Amount of additional childcare funding the CBO estimates states would need over five years to provide programs enabling welfare recipients to meet the new work requirements in this bill: $8.4 billion

Amount of childcare funding the bill provides to meet the requirements: $1 billion

Estimated number of child care slots for low-income families that would be lost by 2010 as a result of the shortfall: 255,000

Maximum co-pay states were usually allowed to charge low-income Medicaid beneficiaries for medical services and prescription drugs prior to this bill: $3

Co-pay a family of three with an income of $24,500 dollars could now be expected to make for a day of hospitalization, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities: $320

Cost increase per $10,000 borrowed for parents taking out PLUS loans to help their children attend college due to this bill: $382

Medicaid

Protecting the Medicaid Safety Net Act of 2008

Legislation

The middle class

Video Summary

Injustice Facts

Overview/Summary

Middle Class Position Analysis

Related Blog: Header

Quotes from Experts

Related Blog: Text

Beyond this Bill

Related Blog: Link

Additional Resources

Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007 [Revised bill]

Legislation

The middle class

Video Summary

Injustice Facts

Overview/Summary

Middle Class Position Analysis

Related Blog: Header

Quotes from Experts

Related Blog: Text

Beyond this Bill

Related Blog: Link

Additional Resources

Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007

Legislation

The middle class

Video Summary

Injustice Facts

Overview/Summary

Middle Class Position Analysis

Related Blog: Header

Quotes from Experts

Related Blog: Text

Beyond this Bill

Related Blog: Link

Additional Resources

Amendment to Restore Medicaid and EITC Programs of 2004

Legislation

The middle class

Video Summary

Injustice Facts

Overview/Summary

Middle Class Position Analysis

Related Blog: Header

Quotes from Experts

Related Blog: Text

Beyond this Bill

Related Blog: Link

Additional Resources

Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 (House vote)

Legislation

The middle class

Video Summary

Injustice Facts

Overview/Summary

Middle Class Position Analysis

Related Blog: Header

Quotes from Experts

Related Blog: Text

Beyond this Bill

Related Blog: Link

Additional Resources

Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 (Senate vote)

Legislation

The middle class

Video Summary

Injustice Facts

Overview/Summary

Middle Class Position Analysis

Related Blog: Header

Quotes from Experts

Related Blog: Text

Beyond this Bill

Related Blog: Link

Additional Resources