|
Article published Jun 15, 2007
Congress should reauthorize the State Children's Health Insurance Program at the maximum funding requested, but Colorado has some work to do to make sure this program is as effective and accessible as possible in our own state. The federal program is operated in Colorado as the Child Health Plan-Plus. It provides health care insurance to families that can't quality for Medicare but do not make enough money to afford health insurance. The program provides basic coverage but it focuses on preventive care to reduce overall medical costs. CHP+ is often the last, best resort for Colorado's low-income working families seeking insurance and is considered the only option for mental health services for many children. Colorado policymakers are urging Congress to reauthorize the program another 10 years at a cost of $50 billion. Not all of Colorado's delegation has committed to the full reauthorization, though. Here's why. In 2006, CHP+ enrolled more than 50,000 children, yet another 57,000 children who were eligible for coverage were not enrolled. Because this is a federal match program, each state dollar spent nets $2 for Colorado from the federal government. But between 2001 and 2005, our state did not fund the program to its maximum allowable level and had to return $55 million to the federal government in unused SCHIP funds. At the same time, Coloradans paid an average $934 more a year in 2005 to pick up the tab for uninsured residents. Colorado lawmakers and policymakers are working to adjust the state's program to make it more efficient, including promoting a presumptive eligibility policy to jumpstart health care. Still, more must be done. Colorado's congressional delegation must be reassured that Colorado lawmakers and health officials will work closely with private insurers to make sure this program is not a disincentive either for insurance companies or for health providers. Red tape must be reduced, perhaps by reinstituting community outposts, such as used to be provided locally by the Health District of Northern Larimer County, which took the program directly to prospective families. State government officials are aware that gaps need to be filled, but now they must reassure the federal delegation that Colorado will use SCHIP to its maximum effect. |
