- March 2, 2010 We must call on Members of Congress to come together to pass a meaningful bill that improves access to insurance coverage and lowers the cost of care.
- February 24, 2010 The Georgetown University Center for Children and Families and the New England Alliance for Children’s Health invite you to attend “Transforming Health Coverage for Children and Families: A Convening of Northeastern States.”
- February 19, 2010 First Lady Michelle Obama announced the launch of Let's Move, a new national campaign to fight childhood obesity. This effort will engage families, communities and the public and private sectors to help reduce childhood obesity within a generation.
- February 4, 2010 One year ago today, President Obama signed into law the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act (CHIPRA) to help families find affordable health coverage for their children.
- January 26, 2010 Nine states received CHIPRA performance bonuses, comments are requested on child health care quality measures for CHIP and Medicaid, and awards for quality demonstration grants will be announced soon.
- January 22, 2010 We need to let our Members of Congress know that Americans need quality, affordable health care now, and we think having the House pass the Senate bill would make great strides toward achieving this.
- January 4, 2010 A summary of the patient-centered medical home model, with information on what medical homes are, how they help improve children's health, and which New England states are currently piloting medical home models.
- December 1, 2009 Senator Bob Casey (D - PA) introduced an amendment that would help protect and ensure health care coverage for low-income children by fully funding the CHIP program through 2019 and enhancing its benefits and protections.
- November 23, 2009 Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid released the Senate health reform bill, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Floor proceedings on the bill will begin the week of November 30th and are expected to continue through the end of December. This alert includes key provisions in the Senate bill that affect children and families.
- October 30, 2009 Action steps for reaching out to Senators Dodd and Lieberman on the Senate health reform proposals.
- October 23, 2009 Last week the Senate Finance Committee passed its health reform bill, becoming the last of the five committees of jurisdiction to do so. The current version of the Senate Finance bill includes a revised amendment from Senator Rockefeller (D - WV) that requires states to continue Medicaid for children and CHIP through 2019.
- October 6, 2009 Information about a national children's health insurance summit, a Senate Finance Committee amendment that maintains CHIP and Medicaid coverage for children, and affordability protections in the House and Senate health reform bills.
- October 2, 2009 The U.S Department of Health and Human Services announced that it has awarded $40 million in grants to 69 organizations in 41 states to find and enroll children who are uninsured but eligible for Medicaid or CHIP.
- September 23, 2009 Information about the current status of the Senate Finance Committee's health reform bill: Chairman Max Baucus (D - MT) released the Chairman's mark last week and Finance Committee members submitted a list of their proposed amendments last Friday.
- September 2, 2009 The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, Georgetown University Center for Children and Families, and Families USA are hosting a series of conference call on CHIP implementation.
- August 20, 2009 Talking points on children's issues in national health reform, affirming that health reform must happen this year and highlighting the positive action taken by the House to produce a strong bill.
- August 17, 2009 PICO and its faith-based partners are hosting a national health reform conference call with President Obama.
- July 20, 2009 Congresswoman Diana DeGette (D-CO) is offering an amendment that would ensure that children enrolled in CHIP in 2013 will not be moved into the Exchange unless coverage in the new system is comparable or better.
- July 17, 2009 The House Education and Labor Committee passed an amendment that would guarantee children access to Early Periodic Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment (EPSDT) services.
- July 16, 2009 An analysis of comprehensive benefits and cost-sharing for children in the House bill and how to respond.
- July 13, 2009 A new pediatric quality of care webpage and toolkit of advocacy resources.
- July 9, 2009 Information on CHIP Outreach and Enrollment Grants and our new CHIP Implementation webpage.
- July 7, 2009 National health reform information and implications for children.
- June 29, 2009 The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and HHS are rescinding all or part of three unfavorable Medicaid regulations.
- June 22, 2009 An overview of the HELP Committee health reform bill.
- June 15, 2009 Information on a health reform day of action that Community Catalyst is hosting, a link to NEACH's new health care reform webpage, and an opportunity to engage your House Members around supporting strong Medicaid and CHIP programs in national health reform.
- June 10, 2009 NEACH's priorities for national health reform include: Medicaid, medical homes, and the Family Opportunity Act. On Tuesday, June 9th the Senate HELP Committee released its health reform bill entitled "Affordable Health Choices Act".
- June 3, 2009 A list of the New England states' 2009 policy priorities.
- May 29, 2009 Cindy Mann, Director of Georgetown University Center for Children and Families, has been appointed by the Obama Administration to lead the Center for Medicaid and State Operations (CMSO), which oversees Medicaid and CHIP at the federal level.
- May 13, 2009 On May 12, 2009, the Senate Finance Committee released policy options for expanding health coverage, including a number of proposals that affect children's health care.
- May 4, 2009 The National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP) is presenting a free Web seminar on Express Lane Eligibility in CHIP.
- April 28, 2009 A survey on how engaged NEACH partners were in the CHIP reauthorization process.
- March 4, 2009 A brief overview of the CHIPRA 2009 provisions.
- February 25, 2009 On February 23, the National Governors Association announced that it was forming a Health Care Reform Task Force to identify and define governors' health reform priorities and to advise the work of Congress and the Obama Administration.
- February 5, 2009 President Obama has submitted a letter to the Secretary of Health and Human Service to rescind the August 17th Directive.
- February 4, 2009 The House passed the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009. The final vote was 290-135, with 40 Republicans voting for the bill and 2 Democrats voting against. President Obama will sign the bill this evening.
- February 3, 2009 On August 21, 2008, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick signed into law An Act Relative to Children's Mental Health, which seeks to improve the quality and access of mental health care for children with mental illness.
- January 30, 2009 The Senate passed the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 by a vote of 66-32.
- January 26, 2009 The Economic Recovery Package is expected to reach the House floor for a vote on Wednesday, January 28th. Floor debate on the Senate SCHIP reauthorization bill (S. 275) is likely to begin tonight, January 26th.
- January 16, 2009 On Thursday, January 15th the Senate Finance Committee approved Chairman Max Baucus' proposal on the Senate SCHIP bill by a vote of 12-7.
- January 14, 2009 The House of Representatives passed the SCHIP bill by a vote of 289-139.
- January 14, 2009 The House is voting on SCHIP reauthorization today, January 14th, and the Senate Finance Committee will mark-up the Senate version on Thursday, January 15th.
- January 12, 2009 Congress will vote this week on an SCHIP reauthorization bill, with the aim of having if having it ready for President-elect Obama to sign shortly after his Inauguration, perhaps even on January 20th.
- January 7, 2009 There is a possibility that a standalone SCHIP will be moving through Congress next week. President-Elect Obama and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi met on Monday to discuss legislation that can be ready for him to sign on Inauguration Day.
- December 9, 2008 Information about a potential FMAP increase in an economic stimulus package, SCHIP reauthorization, and efforts related to national health reform.
- November 11, 2008 The National Association of Children's Hospitals and PricewaterhouseCoopers are sponsoring a national town hall meeting with a panel of Congressional leaders, health care policy experts and a senior health care advisor to President-elect Obama that will be broadcast at venues across the country.
- October 30, 2008 On August 8th, Rhode Island applied to CMS for a Medicaid waiver that would cap state and federal funding for the state’s entire Medicaid program (which includes coverage for children, long-term care recipients, low-income families, and people with disabilities) in one waiver over a three to five year period.
- October 21, 2008 We are pleased to announce that Jessica Taubner has just joined NEACH as the Children’s Health Care Coordinator.
- October 17, 2008 The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has released a call for proposals entitled “Coverage Ideas from the Field” to fund projects relating to national health reform.
- September 29, 2008 On October 15, CBS news journalist Bob Schieffer will moderate the third Presidential debate, focusing on domestic issues. PICO has created a web-based form letter to send to Bob Schieffer, encouraging him to ask the candidates a question about how they will address America’s uninsured children and where they stand on reauthorizing SCHIP.
- September 22, 2008 At the end of August, the US Census Bureau released new health coverage data. Overall, each of the six New England states’ rates of uninsured children remained under 10% and well under the national average over the past three years.
- September 18, 2008 A sign-on letter is currently being circulated urging the Senate Finance Committee to include children’s unique health issues as an important element in any health reform that Congress considers.
- September 11, 2008 Congress has decided not to hold another vote on SCHIP reauthorization this fall, as originally planned.
- August 19, 2008 CMS did not issue an official letter to Medicaid Directors last week regarding the enforcement of the August 17th Directive. Instead, they released a statement to the press asserting that "at this time" states will not be penalized for failing to comply with the Directive's requirements.
- August 15, 2008 The Bush administration has announced that states will not be penalized for failing to meet the requirements of the August 17th Directive.
- July 22, 2008 On July 17th, Senators Baucus and Rockefeller introduced a resolution to nullify the August 17th Directive under the Congressional Review Act. The resolution was not filed in time for it to have "privileged" status, meaning it is not protected from filibuster.
- May 23, 2008 The Senate passed a $165 billion Iraq Supplemental bill that includes both a moratorium on the August 17th CMS Directive and the Medicaid regulations.
- May 19, 2008 Recent activity surrounding the August 17th Directive includes: Rhode Island receiving approval from CMS to continue covering children up to 250% of the FPL, Senator Lautenberg (D-NJ) attaching an amendment to the Supplemental Iraq Appropriations Bill to impose a moratorium on the August 17th Directive, and Congressman Pallone (D-NJ) introducing a bill (HR 5998) that would nullify the August 17th Directive.
- May 8, 2008 The Senate Appropriations Committee mark up of the Iraq supplemental bill has been postponed.
- April 30, 2008 The opportunity for attaching the moratorium on the August 17th CMS Directive to the Iraq supplemental bill is quickly disappearing.
- April 25, 2008 Republicans on the Senate Finance Committee are circulating a letter to their colleagues urging Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (KY) to stop the Senate from taking up legislation (HR 5613) that would place moratoria on seven damaging Medicaid administrative rules until April 1, 2009.
- April 21, 2008 Senator Rockefeller (D-WV) and Senator Snowe (R-ME) released analyses by both the General Accountability Office (GAO) and the Congressional Research Service (CRS) that conclude that CMS was wrong in implementing the August 17th Directive without first sending it to Congress for review.
- April 8, 2008 The Senate Finance Committee is holding a hearing on the August 17th Directive's negative impact on state’s efforts to cover more children. It will be the only hearing on the Directive’s impact.
- January 14, 2008 Representatives Hodes (D-NH) and Shea-Porter (D-NH) began circulating a sign-on letter to House Leadership urging them to address the CMS Directive and give states the ability to determine their own SCHIP eligibility levels.
- December 21, 2007 The House approved legislation extending SCHIP funding through March 2009 after the Senate had approved the measure by unanimous consent. The bill includes funding for state shortfalls, ensuring that states will not run out of the federal funding necessary to maintain current enrollment levels.
- December 13, 2007 President Bush vetoed the second version of the SCHIP bill. This is the President’s second veto on legislation that would expand the program to cover 4 million more uninsured children.
- December 3, 2007 Under the leadership of Senator Reed (D-RI), a letter has been sent to Senate leadership about the importance of filling the funding shortfalls in a one-year SCHIP Continuing Resolution. All six senators from the three New England shortfall states have signed on to the letter.
- November 2, 2007 The Senate approved the latest SCHIP compromise bill (HR 3963) in a vote of 64 to 30. All of the New England members of the Senate who were present voted in support of the bill except Senator Gregg (R-NH).
- October 26, 2007 The House voted yesterday on a new modified version of the SCHIP bill (HR 3963). The bill fell 7 votes short of a veto-proof majority.
- October 18, 2007 The House failed to override the President’s veto on the compromise SCHIP bill in a vote of 273-156. This vote tally is 13 votes short of the two-thirds majority necessary to override a presidential veto.
- October 5, 2007 The override vote on the compromise SCHIP bill is scheduled for Thursday, October 18th.
- October 3, 2007 President Bush vetoed the compromise SCHIP bill, stating: “Because the Congress has chosen to send me a bill that moves our health care system in the wrong direction, I must veto it.”
- September 28, 2007 The Senate passed the compromise SCHIP bill last night in a 67-29 vote. Eighteen Republicans joined 49 Democrats in supporting the bill. The House and Senate have also passed a Continuing Resolution that includes SCHIP, which will now go to the President for his signature.
- September 26, 2007 The House passed the compromise SCHIP bill last night in a 265-159 vote. Forty-five Republicans joined 220 Democrats in supporting the bill. This vote tally is 24 votes short of the 289 needed to override a presidential veto.
- September 21, 2007 The House and Senate have reached an agreement on an SCHIP bill; they will likely be voting on it early next week so that it gets to the President’s desk before the September 30th expiration date.
- September 18, 2007 All six New England Governors signed-on to the CMS directive opposition letter being circulated by Governors Schwarzenegger (R-CA) and Spitzer (D-NY).
- September 10, 2007 Governors Schwarzenegger (R-CA) and Spitzer (D-NY) are circulating a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Leavitt asking him to withdraw the August 17th Directive.
- August 27, 2007 First Focus and the National Association of Community Health Centers are circulating a sign-on letter to the President urging him to support SCHIP reauthorization while Senators Menendez (D-NJ) and Smith (R-OR) are circulating a sign-on letter asking the President to withdraw the CMS directive.
- August 22, 2007 On August 17th, CMS emailed a directive to the states setting up new restrictions on SCHIP. This directive sets up minimum requirements that states must meet in order to provide coverage for children over 250% of FPL.
- August 3, 2007 The Senate passed its SCHIP reauthorization bill late Thursday evening with a 68-31 veto-proof majority. All Democrats and 18 Republicans voted in favor of the bill.
- August 2, 2007 The House SCHIP Bill (known as the CHAMP Act) passed late last night with a vote of 225 to 204. Congressman Shays (R-CT) was one of only 5 Republicans to vote in support of the CHAMP Act.
- July 30, 2007 The CHAMP bill will be heard on the House floor in the next couple of days while the Senate will likely vote today on cloture for the Motion to Proceed on SCHIP.
- July 27, 2007 The CHAMP Act bill will likely move to the House floor early next week; the Senate's SCHIP bill will also move to the floor early next week.
- July 25, 2007 The CHAMP bill Mark includes the full $50 billion set aside for SCHIP Reauthorization in the Budget Resolution and bonuses for states that successfully enroll eligible but uninsured children.
- July 23, 2007 The Senate Finance Committee bill extends the Medicaid citizenship documentation requirement to SCHIP but does offer an alternate social security number mechanism for verifying citizenship.
- July 19, 2007 The Senate Finance Committee has marked-up and passed an SCHIP bill by a vote of 17-4. The bill received strong support and will now head to the Senate floor.
- July 18, 2007 The Senate Finance Committee mark-up on SCHIP has been delayed until July 19th.
- July 16, 2007 The Senate Finance Committee Mark includes $35 billion in additional funding, $100 million in funding for outreach and enrollment efforts, and a new child health quality initiative within HHS to develop and disseminate child health quality measures.
- July 13, 2007 Representative Jim Moran (D-VA) is circulating a letter to include a provision making citizenship documentation (cit doc) a state option in SCHIP reauthorization. Representatives Hilda Solis (D-CA) and Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R-FL) are circulating a letter supporting the Legal Immigrant Children’s Health Improvement Act (ICHIA).
- July 12, 2007 The Senate Finance Committee mark-up is scheduled for Tuesday July 17th.
- June 29, 2007 The House Energy and Commerce Committee will address SCHIP reauthorization in July; 21of the 22 members of the New England delegation have signed on to an SCHIP reauthorization letter.
- June 27, 2007 The SCHIP mark-up will not take place in the Senate Finance until after the July 4th recess.
- June 22, 2007 The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and First Focus are collecting signatures for a sign-on letter to Congress in support of a strong SCHIP reauthorization.
- June 19, 2007 The Senate Finance Committee mark-up on SCHIP has been delayed.
- June 13, 2007 The Senate Finance Committee mark-up on SCHIP will take place in a week or two.
