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Statement by Shay Bilchik, President/CEO, Child Welfare League of America on the President's State of the Union Address
1/23/2007
Washington, DC - Each year we wait in anticipation of the President's annual State of the Union address - looking for leadership, commitment, compassion and an understanding of the needs of America's vulnerable children and most importantly some expression of his willingness to do something about it. Sadly we were again disappointed when no such plan materialized.
While we are pleased that the President has raised the critical issue of expanding access to health care, his narrowly tailored plan falls far short of a comprehensive solution and would undermine crucial federal safety net programs currently providing health care for the poor and uninsured. Proposed changes to the tax code will not benefit the majority of uninsured, as most pay minimal or no taxes. Additionally, the second part of the President's health care proposal could reallocate up to $40 billion thereby eliminating Medicaid funding essential to keeping hospitals open and other providers available to treat large numbers of uninsured children and low-income families. The President has made it clear that no additional federal funding should be used to support his health care proposal, and in doing so, continues to propose policies and regulations which abdicate the federal government's responsibility to ensure a health care safety net for our most vulnerable citizens.
In relation to child welfare, the Bush Administration has made repeated efforts to chip away at Medicaid coverage for which children in the foster care system are eligible. Children in the child welfare system are almost universally reliant on Medicaid as a source of health coverage. The importance of access to health care for these children cannot be overstated, as health concerns are too often linked with child abuse and neglect.
Earlier this week, the President acknowledged in his radio address that the federal government has an obligation to provide care for the most vulnerable members of our society, including "poor children and their parents." Yet, his proposal reflects a narrow focus on private health care insurance at the expense of these important public health insurance programs. A piecemeal proposal to reform health care does not deserve serious consideration.
We strongly encourage the President and Congress to pursue a comprehensive, long-term solution that ensures affordable, high-quality health care is available to every American. Embracing the opportunity to expand children's health coverage through the reauthorization of the State Children's Health Insurance Program would go a lot farther towards achieving this goal than the President's proposed tax code changes and Medicaid cuts.
Since 1920, the Child Welfare League of America (CWLA) has been the nation's pre-eminent organization dedicated to ensuring that disadvantaged and vulnerable children are protected from harm and have the tools and resources they need to grow into the healthy and happy adults we want them to become. CWLA is the trusted authority for professionals who work with children and the only national organization with members from both public and private agencies, providing unique access and influence to all sectors of the children's services field.
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