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Kids are first step in health care for all

Wednesday, May 16 at 12:01 AM

By Dr. Jeremy Lazarus, Denver

One in six Coloradans can't get needed medical and preventive care simply because they lack health-care coverage. Nationally, the problem is similarly severe. Nearly 45 million patients in the U.S., including more than 8 million children, are uninsured.

Taking steps toward reform, Colorado joins the many states making notable efforts to get their residents covered. Here at home, the Blue Ribbon Commission for Health Care Reform created by Gov. Bill Owens is working to reach consensus on the best ways to expand health-care coverage and lower costs for state residents. State efforts have played a major role in getting health-care coverage back into the national spotlight, but more expansive federal reforms are needed to provide the legislative and financial support to extend health-care coverage to all of America's uninsured.

The American Medical Association has been central to this national effort. Physicians have joined forces with 15 other influential health-care organizations, through the Health Coverage Coalition for the Uninsured, to develop a plan for federal reform. The group's first goal: congressional reauthorization of the State Children's Health Insurance Program.

SCHIP has provided health insurance to millions of America's lower-income children for more than 10 years. For these children to continue to get needed health care, Congress must first act to maintain this successful program.

Second, Congress must act to improve the enrollment process to ensure that all eligible children are signed up. There is room for improvement: 2 million uninsured children are eligible for SCHIP but not enrolled. With higher enrollment, more money will be needed to keep kids healthy. Congress must provide the funds needed for this impending increase in enrollment.

The vast majority of uninsured Americans are in working families. Many lower-income parents who work can't afford health insurance for themselves or for their children. A new tax credit could help provide coverage to kids whose parents earn too much to qualify for SCHIP, but can't afford health care for their children. This advanceable tax credit would provide parents with the means to purchase coverage for the checkups and prescription drugs their kids need.

America's children are our future, and without proper health care, children are not given a fair chance to grow, learn and succeed. If the U.S. health-care system can adequately provide for the nation's children, then we are one step closer to covering all uninsured patients.

The AMA is committed to action. Physicians, business leaders, health insurers, hospitals, consumer groups and others are working together to move forward with the first phase of the coalition's plan, a feasible solution to cover America's children. It's time for congressional leaders to similarly work together to cover kids and take action before the SCHIP program expires in September.

Dr. Jeremy Lazarus is a Denver psychiatrist and a board member of the American Medical Association.

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