WASHINGTON—The First Focus Campaign for Children applauds Rep. Danny K. Davis (D-IL) for introducing The Foster Youth Driving Act (H.R. 2512), making it easier for foster youth to obtain driver’s education, vehicle insurance, practice lessons, and driver’s license fees.

Bruce Lesley, President of the First Focus Campaign for Children, said:

“Too many foster youth face insurmountable barriers to getting a driver’s license: from the course fees and the cost of insurance, to the need for an adult who can help with their practice hours.

Studies have shown that kids with access to a car do better in school, get better jobs, have more college options, and have more successful careers.

I applaud Rep. Danny Davis for introducing this important bill that would make it easier for foster youth to get to school, work, and benefit from all the opportunities that come with access to a vehicle.”

The bill also provides training for foster parents to help kids in their care achieve practice hours and understand the information relating to obtaining a driver’s license.

Rep. Davis calls transportation “one of the largest barriers” for foster youth to overcome as they transition into adulthood.

“It impacts every aspect of their well-being, and has been an impediment to meeting their education and employment goals. These kids deserve better,” he said.

In 2014, a study conducted by the Urban Institute found that families with access to vehicles live in neighborhoods with better environmental and social quality than those without cars.

To learn more, visit youthgoingplaces.org.

###

The First Focus Campaign for Children is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization affiliated with First Focus, a bipartisan children’s advocacy organization. The Campaign for Children advocates directly for legislative change in Congress to ensure children and families are a priority in federal policy and budget decisions.

WASHINGTON--The Children’s Budget Coalition, which includes more than 55 organizations committed to ensuring federal investment in critical programs that help American children--sent letters (House / Senate) today to the chairmen and ranking members of the Senate and House Appropriations Committee and the relevant subcommittee urging them to do four things in Fiscal Year 2018 to protect and improve the lives of children. They include:

1. Reversing the trend of spending less on programs that help kids: As the First Focus 2016 Children’s Budget Book found, children’s programs accounted for a mere 2.1 percent of all new federal spending over the previous five years.
2. Lifting the budget caps for non-defense discretionary (NDD) spending: The president’s FY 18 Budget Blueprint proposes a $54 billion cut to NDD, which could lead to as much as $20 billion in cuts to more than 100 essential programs that support children. Such cuts would have real consequences for real people – especially teachers, young children in low-income families, and students with special needs.
3. Maintaining parity between non-defense and defense discretionary spending; and
4. Increasing 302b allocations in three appropriations bills (Labor-HHS, T-HUD, and CJS). These spending bills include about 200 programs critical to assisting kids and providing them with resources necessary to live long and productive lives.

Bruce Lesley, President of the First Focus Campaign for Children, said:

“We need to arrest the alarming trend of decreased federal spending on children’s programs. More than ever, now is the time to invest more in America’s kids, not less, to ensure the next generation grows up to lead healthy and productive lives.

The place to start is next year’s budget. If the administration and lawmakers are serious about building America’s future, they will make kids a top priority in the FY 18 budgetary process.”

###

The First Focus Campaign for Children is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization affiliated with First Focus, a bipartisan children’s advocacy organization. The Campaign for Children advocates directly for legislative change in Congress to ensure children and families are a priority in federal policy and budget decisions.

WASHINGTON – Following the 217-213 vote in the US House of Representatives to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and replace it with the American Health Care Act (AHCA), millions of American kids and families will be negatively impacted if the bill becomes law.

Most important for children, the legislation includes fundamental and catastrophic cuts to Medicaid, which 38 million kids currently rely on for health services.

First Focus Campaign for Children President Bruce Lesley said:

“It’s no exaggeration to call today one of the saddest days in our nation’s history when it comes to the health and well-being of American children, as the bill would roll back decades of progress. It violates the Hippocratic Oath, which is to ‘first, do no harm.’

At a time when Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) have helped reduce the rate of uninsured children to the lowest number in American history -- with more than 95 percent of children having some form of health insurance -- the House approved a bill that would undermine this success by slashing $839 billion from the Medicaid program.

The House bill ends the popular, successful 50-year-old Medicaid entitlement as we know it through the imposition of arbitrary caps and threatens access for all Americans to affordable and meaningful health benefits like newborn services, pediatric services, maternity care, emergency care, mental health treatment, and medically necessary rehabilitative and rehabilitation services for children with special needs.

This bill is a direct attack on the 38 million children who rely on Medicaid for their health coverage -- children make up more than 50 percent of the Medicaid population. It is also an attack on states who get shortchanged in the AHCA deal. With a cut of $839 billion and provisions to establish Medicaid per capita caps or block grants, states will have no choice but to ration care for our nation’s sickest and most vulnerable citizens by creating wait lists, cutting eligibility, benefits, services, and payments to providers.

“We are deeply disappointed that lawmakers who talk a good game about protecting children have turned their back on the most vulnerable Americans. We look now to the Senate to take up the mantle for kids and protect the guarantee of Medicaid as the legislative process moves forward.”

###

The First Focus Campaign for Children is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization affiliated with First Focus, a bipartisan children’s advocacy organization. The Campaign for Children advocates directly for legislative change in Congress to ensure children and families are a priority in federal policy and budget decisions.

This afternoon, Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) announced that the House of Representatives would not put to a vote the American Health Care Act, H.R. 1648, legislation that would have repealed the Affordable Care Act and fundamentally restructured the Medicaid program. This news is a relief for the 37 million children and their families who rely on Medicaid for their health coverage as well as the other vulnerable populations whose care would have been cut if the House bill was approved. In response, First Focus Campaign for Children President Bruce Lesley issued the following statement:

“We applaud those Members of Congress who heeded pleas from constituents across the country and were willing to vote against passage of the AHCA. Their courage in standing up for children among other vulnerable populations of Americans will allow the families of the 37 million children who are insured through Medicaid to sleep easier tonight knowing that their coverage and benefits remain intact.

“At a time when Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) have helped to reduce the rate of uninsured children to the lowest number in American history -- with more than 95 percent of children having some form of health insurance -- the House has chosen wisely not to advance a bill that would undermine this success.

“If Congress is interested in improving the health and well-being of America’s children, instead of draconian cuts that would end the Medicaid entitlement, we urge Members to protect the programs like Medicaid and CHIP, which have been so successful in keeping our children healthy and on a path to becoming productive adults.

“The AHCA was wrong for children, wrong for families, and wrong for America. Instead of dismantling the programs that are working well to protect and improve health care for millions of Americans, Congress should get back to work and start from the beginning, convening stakeholders, holding hearings, and tackling the real issues that are most important to children and families – ensuring access to high quality, affordable care that meets the needs of every family member."

###

The First Focus Campaign for Children is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization affiliated with First Focus, a bipartisan children’s advocacy organization. The Campaign for Children advocates directly for legislative change in Congress to ensure children and families are a priority in federal policy and budget decisions.

(WASHINGTON, DC) – Earlier this afternoon, Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) announced a delay in the vote on the American Health Care Act (AHCA) (H.R. 1648) when it became apparent the bill did not have sufficient votes to secure its passage tonight. As drafted, the AHCA would repeal the Affordable Care Act and fundamentally restructure the Medicaid program, jeopardizing coverage for millions of children and families. In response, First Focus Campaign for Children President Bruce Lesley issued the following statement.

“Families across the United States are breathing a sigh of relief with the announcement of the delay in the vote on the AHCA. In the strongest possible terms, we urge Members of Congress to take a closer look at the legislation and use this time to understand the devastating impact the AHCA would have on children and families across the nation. Far from improving coverage and affordability of health care, this bill would cut $880 billion from Medicaid, which millions of our children, seniors, and disabled Americans rely on. The House bill ends the Medicaid entitlement, decimates coverage for children and other vulnerable populations and threatens access for all Americans to affordable and meaningful health benefits like maternity care, mental health treatment and medically necessary services for children with special needs.

“This bill is a direct attack on children, who make up nearly 50 percent of the Medicaid population. It is also an attack on states who get shortchanged in the AHCA deal. Cuts in the magnitude of $880 billion through provisions to establish Medicaid per capita caps or block grants shift significant costs to states, leaving governors with no choice but to ration care for our nation’s sickest and most vulnerable citizens by creating wait lists, cutting eligibility, benefits, services, and payments to providers.

 “At a time when Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) have helped to reduce the rate of uninsured children to the lowest number in American history -- with more than 95 percent of children having some form of health insurance -- now is not the time to gut the very programs responsible for this success.

“We applaud the families who continue to tell their stories to their Members of Congress about what is at stake for their children. As the House continues to hold off on a vote of this bill, we urge all Members of Congress to adopt a ‘do no harm’ approach and resolve to protect our nation’s most vulnerable children.”

###

The First Focus Campaign for Children is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization affiliated with First Focus, a bipartisan children’s advocacy organization. The Campaign for Children advocates directly for legislative change in Congress to ensure children and families are a priority in federal policy and budget decisions.

American Health Care Act would jeopardize care for children and families

Washington, DC—The American Academy of Pediatrics, Children’s Defense Fund, Children’s Dental Health Project, Family Voices, First Focus Campaign for Children, March of Dimes and National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners issue the following joint statement opposing the American Health Care Act’s (AHCA) drastic changes to Medicaid and their detrimental impact on children and families:

“Our organizations represent children, pregnant women, families, children’s health care providers, hospitals and advocates across the country, and we speak with one voice today to urge the U.S. House of Representatives to keep Medicaid strong for children and vote ‘no’ on the AHCA. This bill ends the Medicaid program as we know it, jeopardizing coverage for the 72 million vulnerable Americans – primarily children, pregnant women, seniors and people with disabilities – who rely on Medicaid for their health care.

“Children make up the single largest group of people who rely on Medicaid; nearly 36 million children receive Medicaid coverage, including children with special health care needs and those from low-income families. Medicaid also provides comprehensive prenatal care to pregnant women, allowing millions of pregnant women to have healthy pregnancies and helping millions of children get a healthy start. Unlike many private health insurance plans, Medicaid guarantees specific benefits designed especially for children. Medicaid’s Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment (EPSDT) benefits are the definitive standard of pediatric care, covering an array of services like developmental, dental, vision and hearing screenings, and allowing health problems to be diagnosed and treated appropriately and as early as possible. Simply put: Medicaid works. In fact, children in Medicaid are more likely to get check-ups, miss less school, graduate and enter the workforce than their uninsured peers.

“Medicaid is able to provide affordable, comprehensive care for every child because of the strength of Medicaid’s state-federal partnership. The program already provides flexibility to states and allows each state to meet the needs of its Medicaid population when a natural disaster, public health crisis like the current opioid epidemic or economic recession increases the number of people enrolled and the cost of providing services.

“The AHCA includes harmful proposals to restructure Medicaid, and the changes to AHCA unveiled on Monday evening go from bad to worse, allowing even more damaging changes to the program. In addition to the bill’s initial proposal to fund Medicaid through per capita caps, the amendments would allow states to choose a block grant model, which would eviscerate existing protections afforded to children and pregnant women in the Medicaid program. Comprehensive EPSDT benefits would no longer be required for children, allowing states to ration limited dollars by drastically cutting back pediatric services.

“Block grants and per capita caps have a singular purpose, to reduce federal funding to states. In a bill that is supposed to be improving care for Americans, block grants and per capita shift costs from the federal government to the states, putting pressure on states to come up with the resources to cover their Medicaid patients when federal funds run out and costs inevitably rise. These drastic changes would place politicians, rather than health care providers, in charge of health care for children, pregnant women and families. Whether a life-saving childhood vaccination, a wheelchair or a hearing aid, politicians should not be the ones determining who gets what coverage, which providers offer those services, and what families must pay.

“The AHCA does not make coverage more affordable for families. In fact, it makes it harder for families to afford premiums in the individual market and phases out the option for states to expand Medicaid to cover more low-income adults, which has led to tremendous cost savings for states and better health outcomes for families across the country. Having healthy parents means children are healthier, too. Restructuring Medicaid financing, and opening the door to harsh work requirements for Medicaid enrollees, as the AHCA proposes, are not only bad for state budgets, they are harmful to child health.

“The AHCA’s provision allowing states to deny Medicaid coverage unless mothers and fathers are working is especially onerous. This provision would mean that a married, pregnant woman could be required to return to work 60 days after giving birth in order to keep her Medicaid coverage. Maintaining health coverage for mothers after birth is essential for infants’ healthy development. Among adults with Medicaid coverage, about 80% are in working families; this proposal is not only short-sighted and dangerous, it offers a solution to a problem that does not exist.

“In short, our organizations are united in opposition to any threat to Medicaid that would jeopardize the gains we’ve made in children’s coverage and dismantle a pillar program that millions of families rely on. More children are insured today than at any time in American history; the AHCA will reverse that progress. We urge Congress to oppose the AHCA and to instead pursue policies that prioritize children and keep Medicaid strong.”

Earlier today, many of our organizations joined a letter with more than 400 organizations dedicated to improving the well-being of children from all 50 states and the District of Columbia to urge Congress to keep the unique needs of children and their parents front and center as they consider any changes to the nation’s health care system.

###

About the American Academy of Pediatrics

The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 66,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults. For more information, visit www.aap.org and follow us on Twitter @AmerAcadPeds.

About the Children’s Defense Fund

The Children’s Defense Fund Leave No Child Behind^® mission is to ensure every child a Healthy Start, a Head Start, a Fair Start, a Safe Start and a Moral Start in life and successful passage to adulthood with the help of caring families and communities.

About the Children’s Dental Health Project

The Children’s Dental Health Project (CDHP) is an independent nonprofit that creates and advances innovative policy solutions so that no child suffers from tooth decay. Based in Washington, D.C., CDHP is driven by the vision of all children achieving optimal oral health in order to reach their full potential. We use data measurement and analysis to advance models that incentivize oral health, not just payment for treating the symptoms of dental disease. CDHP seeks to lead the way toward a health care system that is truly inclusive of oral health, from payment to care delivery. Learn more about CDHP at www.cdhp.org.

About Family Voices

Family Voices is a national, nonprofit, family-led organization promoting quality health care for all children and youth, particularly those with special health care needs. Working with family leaders and professional partners at the local, state, regional, and national levels since 1992, Family Voices has brought a respected family perspective to improving health care programs and policies and ensuring that health care systems include, listen to, and honor the voices of families.

About the First Focus Campaign for Children

The First Focus Campaign for Children is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization affiliated with First Focus, a bipartisan children’s advocacy organization. The Campaign for Children advocates directly for legislative change in Congress to ensure children and families are a priority in federal policy and budget decisions. Learn more at campaignforchildren.org and follow on Twitter at @Campaign4Kids.

About the March of Dimes

The March of Dimes is the leading nonprofit organization for pregnancy and baby health. For more than 75 years, moms and babies have benefited from March of Dimes research, education, vaccines, and breakthroughs.

For the latest resources and health information, visit our websites marchofdimes.org and nacersano.org. To participate in our annual signature fundraising event, visit marchforbabies.org. If you have been affected by prematurity or birth defects, visit our shareyourstory.org community to find comfort and support. For detailed national, state and local perinatal statistics, visit persistats.org. You can also find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.

About the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners:

The National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP) is the nation’s only professional association for pediatric nurse practitioners (PNPs) and their fellow pediatric-focused advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) who are dedicated to improving the quality of health care for infants, children, adolescents and young adults. Representing more than 8,500 healthcare practitioners with 19 special interest groups and 50 chapters, NAPNAP has been advocating for children’s health since 1973 and was the first NP society in the U.S. Our mission is to empower pediatric-focused PNPs and their interprofessional partners to enhance child and family health through leadership, advocacy, professional practice, education and research. NAPNAP.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: MARCH 14, 2017

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) –  The Homeless Children and Youth Act today was reintroduced in Congress, signaling a commitment by policymakers to prioritize the well-being of more than 1.2 million homeless children and  youth in the United States.

The bipartisan legislation is sponsored by Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Rob Portman (R-Ohio), and in the U.S. House of Representatives by Congressman Steve Stivers (R-Ohio-15) and Congressman Dave Loebsack (D-Iowa-2^nd) would re-tool federal homeless assistance delivered by HUD to allow communities to effectively use federal funding to meet the unique developmental needs of children, youth and families.

Specifically, it would allow communities to serve some of the most vulnerable homeless children, youth and families by aligning homeless assistance eligibility criteria with other federal programs, and by allowing communities to use available resources to provide housing and services tailored to the unique needs of each homeless population, according to local circumstances.

According to the U.S. Department of Education, there were record levels of child and youth homelessness in the 2014-2015 school year; there was a 34 percent increase since the recession ended in the summer of 2009. Homelessness among unaccompanied youth saw the most marked increase, increasing by 20 percent over three years to reach 95,032.

Homelessness is associated with an 87 percent increased likelihood of a youth dropping out of school and data from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey show that youth experiencing homelessness report significantly higher rates of victimization, hunger, PTSD, exposure to violence and suicidality than other students.

Child and youth homelessness is different than adult homelessness – homeless families with children and unaccompanied youth stay wherever they can and are often forced to move frequently between living situations. These situations often include motels, or with others temporarily, because there is no family or youth shelter in the community, shelters are full, or shelter policies exclude them. These situations are precarious, crowded, unstable and often unsafe, resulting in negative emotional and health outcomes for children and youth and putting them at risk of physical and sexual abuse and trafficking.

Child and youth serving systems, including early childhood programs and public schools, recognize all of the forms of homelessness that children and youth experience, but the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) does not.  Instead, HUD homeless assistance eligibility criteria exclude some of the most vulnerable homeless children and youth from the programs and services that they need.

In a statement First Focus Campaign for Children President and CEO Bruce Lesley said, “Children and youth who are homelessness for even a short time experience trauma and at greater risk for negative health and developmental outcomes. Yet many homeless children and youth remain invisible in their communities and have been ignored by federal homeless assistance. We urge the new Administration to support this bipartisan bill, which allow local communities to use federal homeless assistance to identify and serve their most vulnerable homeless children, youth and families living in precarious situations.”

In a statement Barbara Duffield, Executive Director for SchoolHouse Connection said, “For too long, HUD has forced a national priority for chronically homeless adults, regardless of local community needs. The result has been fewer services for, and less attention to, families and youth. By aligning HUD Homeless Assistance with child and youth serving systems, the legislation introduced today will help ensure that the homeless children and youth of today do not become the chronically homeless adults of tomorrow.”

"As a membership organization, we constantly hear from our youth service providers about the challenges their youth face in accessing the services and housing that they need," said Darla Bardine, executive director of the National Network for Youth. "The Homeless Children and Youth Act will ensure that communities are able to provide developmentally-appropriate housing and services that youth need in a flexible way."

“This legislation acknowledges what researchers, practitioners, and reasonable people throughout the U.S. have reported for years – HUD’s targeting of a one-size-fits-all solution simply doesn’t work,” stated Ruth White, Executive Director of the National Center on Housing and Child Welfare. “The Administration must capitalize on this bi-partisan approach to erase cumbersome regulations that constrain grass-roots efforts to end all kinds of homelessness in neighborhoods nationwide.”

In a statement Claas Ehlers, President of Family Promise said, “Our Affiliates have seen increased requests for assistance, and lengthened waitlists for housing and shelter. With a well-documented lack of affordable housing across the United States, communities would benefit from the opportunity to direct HUD resources locally, as needed.  We ask that you support this piece of legislation, which would open the door for services to this neglected population.”

###

The First Focus Campaign for Children is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization affiliated with First Focus, a bipartisan children’s advocacy organization. The Campaign for Children advocates directly for legislative change in Congress to ensure children and families are a priority in federal policy and budget decisions.

SchoolHouse Connection is a new national organization promoting success for children and youth experiencing homelessness, from birth through higher education. SchoolHouse Connection engages in strategic advocacy and provides technical assistance in partnership with early care and education professionals (including school district homeless liaisons and state homeless education coordinators), young people, service providers, advocates, and local communities. For more information, visit www.schoolhouseconnection.org

The National Center for Housing and Child Welfare (NCHCW) links housing resources and knowledge to child welfare agencies in order to improve family functioning, prevent family homelessness, and reduce the need for out-of-home placement. NCHCW also brings housing resources to child welfare agencies in order to ensure that older youth in foster care have a connection to permanent family as well as a solid plan for stable housing and services to help them be successful as adults.

The National Network for Youth (NN4Y) is the nation’s leading network of homeless and runaway youth programs. The Network champions the needs of runaway, homeless, and other disconnected youth through strengthening the capacity of community-based services, facilitating resource sharing, and educating the public and policy makers. NN4Y’s members serve homeless youth across the country, working collaboratively to prevent youth homelessness and the inherent risks of living on the streets, including exploitation, human trafficking, criminal justice involvement, or death. For more information, visit www.nn4youth.org.

Family Promise was founded in 1988 on the belief that Americans are compassionate people who want to make a difference. Today, Family Promise comprises 203 Affiliates in 42 states, with more in development. Family Promise programs involve more than 180,000 volunteers and they provide comprehensive assistance to more than 50,000 family members annually. Since their founding, they have served more than 700,000 people, including tens of thousands of homeless families who found temporary homes at Affiliates nationwide.  For the fourth consecutive year, Family Promise has been awarded four stars from Charity Navigator, their highest rating, for sound fiscal management and commitment to accountability and transparency.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 7, 2017

(Washington, D.C.) – In response to the release of the American Health Care Act by Republican leadership in the House of Representatives last evening, a bill that would repeal major provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and impose a per capita cap on the Medicaid program, First Focus Campaign for Children (FFCC) releases the following statement by President Bruce Lesley:

The American Health Care Act would, as currently written, be a major step backwards for our nation’s children. The uninsured rate for children reached a record low of 4.8 percent in 2015 and has dropped by 68 percent since passage of the Children’s Health Insurance Program two decades ago. As a nation, we have made enormous progress in terms of ensuring our nation’s children have health insurance coverage. Now is not the time to reverse this progress; the American Health Care Act would seriously threaten the health and well-being of millions of children.

First and foremost, FFCC strongly opposes the provisions in the bill that impose a per capita cap upon the Medicaid program, which currently provides coverage to an estimated 35 million low-income children in this country. Per capita caps are nothing more than arbitrary limits imposed upon states by the federal government that, by definition, shortchange states for the costs associated with care for children with special health care needs, such as children with cancer, spina bifida, cystic fibrosis, asthma, and sickle cell anemia, or other higher-cost populations such as newborns and children in foster care. It is the care to these vulnerable groups of children that could be threatened and rationed by the federal imposition of a per capita cap on states.

In fact, since the entire purpose of a per capita cap is to cut federal support to Medicaid, states may be forced to either finance any shortfall themselves or implement various forms of rationing, such as making cuts in coverage, benefits, and payment rates to provides, shifting more costs to low-income families, or limiting access to care for children, pregnant women, adults, people with disabilities, and senior citizens. This could be an outright disaster for millions of our nation’s most vulnerable citizens.

Although the American Health Care Act retains the provision in the ACA that allows children to stay on their parents’ health care to age 26, which we support, it phases out parallel language that allows children in foster care to retain their Medicaid coverage to age 26 through presumptive eligibility. Children aging out of foster care are some of our nation’s most vulnerable young adults with health care needs associated with their childhood trauma that threaten their well-being. Now is not the time to impose greater administrative burdens and delays on their health coverage, while also underfinancing the care of all children in–and who have aged out of–foster care through the Medicaid per capita cap.

These provisions also violate a campaign promise by President Donald Trump to not cut the Medicaid program and to ensure that no one would lose health coverage under the bill.

As for the changes made by repealing the tax subsidies in the ACA and replacing them with a different set of tax credits in the individual market, FFCC is concerned that such changes may leave children with special health care needs particularly vulnerable. Unfortunately, the legislation currently does not include a much-needed score by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) along with an analysis of how the bill might impact existing coverage.

Congress should commit to “do no harm” to the health insurance coverage upon which our nation’s children rely. Since this bill threatens to do real harm to Medicaid coverage that an estimated 35 million count on for their care, we urge Congress to return to the drawing board, schedule congressional hearings to discuss and receiving input on health care reform proposals, allow Members of Congress and the public ample time to read and study the legislation, and wait until the CBO does its job in providing a score and analysis of how the bill would impact coverage rates and our nation’s health care system. Children deserve better than to have adults in Congress threaten their health coverage.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 24, 2017

(WASHINGTON, DC) – First Focus Campaign for Children (FFCC) President Bruce Lesley warns in an open letter to all governors this week that proposed changes to Medicaid financial structures would “undoubtedly have negative consequences on the health and well-being of our nation’s children.” Both structures currently under consideration in Congress–a block grant and a per capita cap–would jeopardize children’s health coverage, says Bruce Lesley, president of FFCC.

FFCC president Bruce Lesley writes, “As we contemplate changes to our nation’s health care system, President Trump and Congress should not gamble with the health of our children. They should commit to ‘do no harm’ to state systems of care for children and not propose changes that would undermine or reverse the incredible progress that has been made – whether intended or not.”

Under a Medicaid block grant, federal funding is provided to states based on an arbitrary cap that would fail to adjust for population growth, medical inflation, economic downturn, natural disaster, or an epidemic. States would be left entirely on the hook without any federal financial support as need increases beyond the arbitrarily-imposed limit. In such a circumstance, as the letter highlights, states would have to “choose among a variety of bad options, such as cutting off coverage for children, pregnant women, people with disabilities, or low-income senior citizens; imposing enrollment freezes (which disproportionately harm babies); putting those in need on waiting lists; withholding certain medical benefits; slashing payments to providers; raising taxes; or most likely, all of the above."

In addition to the problems inherent with the federal government setting an arbitrary cap on state funding, FFCC’s letter to the governors also underscores the fact that Medicaid block grant and per capita cap proposals have all been accompanied by hundreds of billions of dollars in programs cuts. These cuts would harm both state budgets and the low-income children, pregnant women, people with disabilities, and senior citizens that rely on Medicaid coverage. Moreover, FFCC points to an analysis by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities in which they show how block grants to states have historically resulted in declining funding over time.

In the letter, FCC draws a connection between Puerto Rico’s Medicaid block grant and its budget shortfalls which have contributed to their debt crisis. FFCC warns that converting Medicaid to a block grant or per capita cap would be a similar “disaster” for states.

With particular respect to the needs of children, particularly those with special health care needs, FFCC points out that kids would be most likely to bear the brunt of the cuts accompanying Medicaid funding caps. The House of Representatives’ proposed outline released last week reads, “States would have flexibility in how Medicaid funds are spent, but would be required to provide required services to the most vulnerable elderly and disabled individuals who are mandatory populations under current law.” The summary leaves out any similarly expressed protections for children and pregnant women, who account for nearly 50 percent of all Medicaid enrollees and appear to be the group most exposed to cuts.

In addition to the harm that children would be exposed to from billions of dollars in cuts, FFCC also notes that any additional spending from states to make up for potential shortfalls would compete with other programs of importance to children in state budget, including education, early childhood, child welfare, public health, and social services programs.

In closing, FFCC calls on the nation’s governors to adopt a “do no harm” standard and protect the enormous gains that have been made in children’s health coverage over the past 20 years – a drop in the uninsured rate from nearly 15 percent to less than five percent. As the letter reads, “Today, over 95 percent of our nation’s children have health insurance coverage. Now is not the time to retreat from two decades of progress and undermine the health and well-being of our nation’s children.”

The letter continues, “Consequently, we urge you to reject proposals from Congress that would impose either Medicaid per capita caps or block grants upon the states [...] We also urge you to push for the swift enactment of a long-term extension of the Children’s Health Insurance Program. CHIP works exceedingly well, and, over the years, it has proven to be an enormously popular and bipartisan program for children. To ensure that children are not left worse off, action on CHIP is needed as soon as possible.”

Click here for a copy of the letter.

###

The First Focus Campaign for Children is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization affiliated with First Focus, a bipartisan children’s advocacy organization. The Campaign for Children advocates directly for legislative change in Congress to ensure children and families are a priority in federal policy and budget decisions.

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – Amid discussions to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, children and health advocates urged Congress to not forget that the law currently provides coverage for former foster youth. In a letter sent to Congress this week, more than 240 organizations expressed their support to ensure that youth who age out of foster care can keep Medicaid coverage until they turn 26, in parity with their peers who can stay on their parent’s health insurance until the age of 26.

Over 20,000 youth age out of care each year with very few supports or financial assistance. In addition, former foster youth represent some of the most vulnerable youth with high incidence rates of homelessness, incarceration, and chronic and mental health conditions.

The Medicaid to 26 provision of the ACA has allowed former foster youth continuity in their health coverage which improves the well-being and success of these youth as they transition into adulthood.

“Former foster youth are a particularly vulnerable group who have unique health needs. Congress must do no harm and threaten coverage for these young adults,” said Bruce Lesley, President of First Focus. “Many kids rely on support from their parents well into their 20s and former foster youth should be no different in having access to health coverage. We urge Congress to ensure Medicaid coverage for these youth continues as it considers changes to the Affordable Care Act and -- now Medicaid as well.”

Advocates have enormous cause for concern as Republican proposals, including Paul Ryan’s A Better Way: Our Vision for a Confident America, promotes the option of per capita caps or the block granting of Medicaid. Both options would reduce the overall number of youth covered and leave former and current foster kids vulnerable to a loss of coverage, benefits, and access to care. In fact, under Ryan's block grant option, the guarantee to coverage would appear to be eliminated. That would threaten the coverage of both former and current foster kids and youth.

Visit campaignforchildren.org to read the letter to Congress and learn you can take action on behalf of kids.

###

The First Focus Campaign for Children is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization affiliated with First Focus, a bipartisan children’s advocacy organization. The Campaign for Children advocates directly for legislative change in Congress to ensure children and families are a priority in federal policy and budget decisions.