sr6.html
07 LC 33 1642
Senate Resolution 6
By: Senators Goggans of the 7th, Thomas of the 2nd, Williams of the 19th, Johnson of the 1st, Hill of the 4th and others

ADOPTED SENATE

A RESOLUTION


Urging the Congress of the United States to provide funding and ensure reauthorization of the State Children´s Health Insurance Plan (S-CHIP); and for other purposes.

WHEREAS, Georgia´s Peach Care for Kids program, along with other State Children's Health Insurance Plans (S-CHIP) nationally, is facing federal fund shortfalls; Georgia´s federal fund shortfall is $131 million and is what is needed to continue PeachCare for Kids until the beginning of the next federal fiscal year that starts October, 2007; and

WHEREAS, S-CHIP is a federal program administered in partnership with states to provide health insurance coverage for children in low income, working families who would otherwise be uninsured; and

WHEREAS, the state receives matching funds from the federal government and our state share of the funding for PeachCare for Kids is available; and

WHEREAS, in Georgia, the bulk of the program membership is families with incomes predominately at or below 150 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL) but the program is available for families with incomes up to 235 percent of FPL; and

WHEREAS, without federal funding of the shortfall, PeachCare for Kids would have run out of funds in March 2007 and all 260,000 children in the program have lost their health care coverage; and

WHEREAS, On December 9, 2006, the 109th Congress adjourned in the 11th hour providing the S-CHIP with funding to partially fill a massive shortfall and without this Georgia would have faced the discontinuation of PeachCare for Kids in March 2007; the federal legislation provides a temporary fix with funding available until approximately May 2007; the Georgia General Assembly must continue to urge Congress to keep this vital health care program for our children up and running long term; and

WHEREAS, fourteen of 17 states, including Georgia, experiencing federal funding shortfalls will receive some financial assistance with the federal deficit their programs face; and

WHEREAS, Georgia needs Congress to appropriate the remainder of the $131 million in order for PeachCare for Kids to continue through federal fiscal year 2007; and

WHEREAS, to do this, Congress must address three things:

  1. The remainder of the 2007 federal funding shortfall faced by states;
  2. Reauthorization of S-CHIP; and
  3. Revision of the S-CHIP funding formula to include the cost of maintaining coverage for children already in PeachCare for Kids as well as uninsured new eligibles entering the program.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE GEORGIA GENERAL ASSEMBLY that the members of Congress are urged to help ensure that funding and reauthorization for the State Children's Health Insurance Plan is a priority addressed in January 2007 when the 110th Congress convenes so that Georgia´s PeachCare for Kids program can continue.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Senate is authorized and directed to transmit an appropriate copy of this resolution to each member of the Georgia Congressional delegation.