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
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:
- The remainder of the 2007 federal funding shortfall faced by states;
- Reauthorization of S-CHIP; and
- 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.