February, 2003 Newsletter
Covering the Uninsured Week
March 10 to 16
To highlight the plight of 41 million uninsured
Americans including 300,000 West Virginians, the Healthy
Kids Coalition is joining with many West Virginia and
national partners to urge Congress to address the
problem and find a solution.
A Covering the Uninsured Partnership in West Virginia
will sponsor events the week of March 10 to 16
including:
March 10, Town Meetings
March 11, Campus Events
March 12, Health Fairs
March 13, Business and Labor Events
March 14 -16, Interfaith Services
To join the effort, plan an event or add your
organization's voice as a partner.
Contact
Julie Greathouse, Healthy Kids Coalition at
304-558-2397 or 558-1955, or via e-mail at
jdg_outreach@hotmail.com.
Senator Jay Rockefeller introduces Legislation for SCHIP
Funds
In Congress there is some support for legislation that
will restore State Children's Health Insurance Program
funds. In fiscal year 2002, $1.2 billion in SCHIP funds
reverted to the federal treasury per SCHIP requirements.
At the end of FY
2003, another $1.5 billion in funding is due to revert
to the treasury.
Legislation introduced by Reps. Billy Tauzin (R-LA) and
John Dingell (D-MI), as well as Sens. Olympia Snow
(R-ME) and Jay
Rockefeller (D-WV) would restore these funds
through FY 2004. The majority of states are facing their
most difficult fiscal situation in decades, giving them
little or no hope of making up for SCHIP funding
shortfalls. Many states would have no choice but to cut
SCHIP enrollment, a devastating step backward for a
program that was showing such progress in addressing the
problems of the uninsured. West Virginia could lose
coverage of more than 20,000 children.
CHIP Requesting Additional Appropriation from the State
After three years of double-digit growth in health care
expenditures, mainly caused by the soaring prescription
drug costs, the WVCHIP annualized cost per child has
grown from $1,285 per child in 2001 to $1,561 in 2003.
The agency has requested an additional $2.3 million
in State dollars for a total of
$7.3, which is matched with federal funds at
approximately an 18/73 percent match ratio.
These funds will cover the cost of providing the
program to an average enrollment of 21,347 children.
Funding Opportunity for Covering Kids and Families Local
Grantees
The Center for Health Care Strategies (CHS) will
announce a new funding opportunity designed to help
improve access to health care services after enrollment
for Medicaid and SCHIP beneficiaries. Grants of up
to $125,000 will be awarded to up to 25 current Covering
Kids and Families local grantees. The call for
proposals will be available on February 15, 2020 at
www.chcs.org/grantinfor.ckfai.html. Proposals
must be submitted on line no later than April 1, 2020.
In West
Virginia the three RWJF-funded Covering Kids and
Families sites are meeting February 17 to discuss
submitting one or more applications.
Enrollment Numbers as of September 30, 2020
Medicaid
171,164
CHIP
20,958
TOTAL
192,122
There have been a total of 53,340 children enrolled into
the CHIP since its inception in 1999.
CHIP Outreach Activities in Nicholas County
Marla Short and her staff have developed an innovative
method to
inform teenagers about available free and low-cost
health insurance.
They have developed a partnership with the State Police
and the Department of Motor Vehicles Offices to provide
information and applications to teens that come in to
take their drivers test in Nicholas, Webster, Braxton,
Pocahontas, Upshur and Randolph Counties.
West Virginia Healthy Kids Coalition
210 Brooks St., Suite 300
Charleston, WV
25301
Next WVHKC Meetings:
February 19, 2020
Children’ï¾s Day at the Legislature
Full Coaliton 1:00-3:00 p.m.
WV Hospital Association
February 21, 2020
Steering Committee 2:00-4:00 p.m.
Governor’ï¾s Cabinet Office
March 7, 2020
Steering Committee 10:00-12:00
Governor’ï¾s Cabinet Office
March 19
Outreach Committee10:00-12:00
Prevention Committee 1:00-3:00
WV Hospital Association Office
April 16
Steering Committee 10:00-12:00
Governor’ï¾s Cabinet Office
WVHKC Steering Committee Nominees
The WVHKC Steering Committee Nominations for 2003 are as
follows:
Co-Chairs- Nancy Tolliver
,
Renate Pore
Vice-Chair- Brian Cunningham
Community Members- Marla Short
&
Gary Zuckett
Elections for these positions will be held at the May
Full Coalition Meeting.