Emanuel, Ramstad Introduce Bipartisan Health Care Plan
Announce Growing Support for the Healthy Kids Act

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, U.S. Representatives Rahm Emanuel (IL-5) and Jim Ramstad (MN-3) introduced the Healthy Kids Act and announced the support of the Children’s Health Fund for the bill.   This bipartisan legislation will provide uninsured children with access to quality health care by streamlining the SCHIP enrollment process and providing states with the resources they need to provide coverage to eligible children.  The Healthy Kids Act will also provide families that are not eligible for Medicaid or SCHIP with a Healthy Savings Tax Credit, which they can use to purchase health coverage for their children.

“If there is one thing we can all agree on it is that our children deserve a chance to grow up healthy and strong and it is our responsibility to ensure they have access to quality, affordable health care,” said Emanuel. 

“We have a moral obligation to cover our kids so that every child in America can grow up healthy,” said Ramstad.

Although SCHIP has made significant progress in reducing the number of uninsured children, nearly nine million children still lack health coverage. Two-thirds of these children are eligible for Medicaid or SCHIP, but not enrolled.  For the first time since 1998, the rate of uninsured children increased, from 10.8 percent to 11.2 percent. The Healthy Kids Act will reverse this trend by directly addressing the lack of access to affordable health insurance for these children. Specifically:

Resources: The legislation will provide financial incentives and resources to states to increase enrollment in Medicaid and SCHIP.

Incentives: States that implement five policies to streamline the enrollment process would receive an increase on their federal matching rate for children’s coverage in Medicaid and SCHIP.

Expansion: The legislation will provide states with new options to expand coverage to hard to reach populations. Children who have qualified for other means-tested programs including food stamps, WIC, and school lunches will automatically be deemed income eligible for Medicaid or SCHIP.

Tax Credit: The Healthy Kids Act will provide families with a Healthy Savings Tax Credit so they can purchase employer-based health coverage for their children.  If the family does not have access to such coverage, they can buy into a state-designated coverage plan. 

"Right now, millions of children are depending on Congress to do the right thing, and that is to pass SCHIP legislation that includes enough funding to both protect children that are currently enrolled and to expand the program to provide coverage for millions more.  Rep. Emanuel's Healthy Kids Act is a real opportunity to make substantial progress toward the goal of helping every American child get access to the health care they need and deserve," said Dr. Irwin Redlener, President and Founder of the Children’s Health Fund.

Emanuel and Ramstad also announced new cosponsors including: Patrick Kennedy (RI-1), Adam Schiff (CA-29), Todd Russell Platts (PA-19), Joe Courtney (CT-2), Carolyn McCarthy (NY-4), Michael McNulty (NY-21), Rodney Alexander (LA-6), Mazie Hirono (HI-2), Shelley Berkley (NV-1), John Sarbanes (MD-3), Steve Cohen (TN-9), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC), James Moran (VA-8), Jesse Jackson Jr. (IL-2), Artur Davis (AL-7), Adam Smith (WA-9), Ron Kind (WI-3), Ellen Tauscher (CA-10), Joseph Crowley (NY-7), Bobby Rush (IL-1), Phil Hare (IL-17), Brian Higgins (NY-23), Bruce Braley (IA-1), Vic Snyder (AR-2), Gregory Meeks (NY-6), and Emanuel Cleaver (MO-5).  These new co-sponsors join Mike Ross (AR-4), Ray LaHood (IL-18), Jo Ann Emerson (MO-8), Allyson Schwartz (PA-13), and Carol Shea-Porter (NH-1). 

Emanuel and Ramstad unveiled their plan with the support of  America’s Health Insurance Plans, American Hospital Association, Healthcare Leadership Council, Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, Ascension Health, Kaiser Permanente, American Medical Association, Johnson & Johnson, Families USA, Federation of American Hospitals, American Academy of Family Physicians, UnitedHealth Group, Catholic Health Association and American Public Health Association are members of the Health Care Coalition for the Uninsured (HCCU).  Additionally, this bill has received the support of the Democratic Leadership Council (DLC) and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU).