"It's very important that we enact this policy," Grassley said. "This ensures that Iowa and other states can continue serving many children in need of health care. No child should go without. Just this week, a new study showed the number of uninsured children dropped a lot because of S-CHIP and Medicaid. We have to continue that good trend."
The Grassley legislation next will go to the President, who is expected to sign it into law.Grassley said he committed to his Senate colleagues in January to redistribute the unspent federal S-CHIP funds through legislation. His legislation, which the Finance Committee passed unanimously in June, redistributes unspent S-CHIP dollars among states that spent all of their allotments. It also allows states a two-year window to cover children with dollars that otherwise would have reverted to the federal Treasury. The bill reflects bipartisan, bicameral support.
More than 16,000 low-income children are enrolled in HAWK-I, the Iowa S-CHIP program. Through the Grassley legislation, Iowa retains $1.4 million that it had returned to the federal government and gains an additional $2.8 million.
A new study from the Urban Institute, released this week, showed that the number of children lacking health insurance dropped significantly between 1999 and 2002, largely due to increased enrollment in Medicaid and S-CHIP. However, an estimated four million children remain eligible but not enrolled in either program. For more information, please see http://www.coveringkids.org/
"We have to continue to look for ways to increase enrollment," Grassley said. "Every eligible child should be enrolled and receiving the benefits of health care coverage."
Grassley also successfully worked to stop Medicaid cuts via the budget this spring.