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    Hunger

    The Problem

    • Both chambers of Congress are currently working on health care reform bills that they hope to enact by the end of the year. The focus of the reform is to lower the costs of both seeking and delivering healthcare and make obtaining health insurance easier for everyone. The most controversial aspect of the reform is the provision that would create a public insurance plan that any citizen would be able to purchase.

      • The House is focusing its efforts on revising H.R. 3200—America’s Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009—a joint effort by several Congressional Committees, led by the Committee on Energy and Commerce, chaired by Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA). Find more information on H.R. 3200.

        • The Committee on Energy and Commerce has drafted briefs on the estimated effect that its health care reform package would have on each congressional district. Forsyth County comprises part of both the 5th and 12th Districts. Click on the district numbers to find out what health care reform could do for you.

      • The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee (HELP) is the only Senate Committee as yet that has submitted a draft bill for health care reform. The HELP Committee has passed its own version of America’s Affordable Health Choices Act. The full Senate must vote on the HELP Committee’s bill. Find more information about the Senate’s version of America’s Affordable Health Choices Act.

        • North Carolina’s Senators are split on health care reform—Sen. Kay Hagan (D-NC) somewhat hesitantly supports it while Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC) opposes it.

    • Congress recognized the shortfalls of COBRA coverage and attempted to add safeguards for American families in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (commonly called the stimulus package). The January stimulus package included a 65% subsidy for out-of-work Americans’ COBRA coverage.

      • The subsidy brings the average monthly cost of premiums for COBRA enrollees to $370 per month. At the subsidized rates, COBRA premiums account for 25%, rather than 75% of Americans’ monthly unemployment benefits. The subsidy is only available to the unemployed for nine months.


    The Consequences

    • In August, the NC General Assembly had to make some tough decisions to reconcile the state’s FY 2009-2010 budget. The Assembly tried to soften the blow to the state’s children, though, by fully-funding the NC Health Choice program. NC Health Choice received a $17 million increase for FY 2009-2010 and a $21 million increase for FY 2010-2011. These increases will serve to insure 9,000 more of NC’s kids (Action for Children North Carolina).

    • North Carolina policy makers and evaluators take their responsibility for the health of our State’s children seriously. The State of North Carolina Legislative Study Commission on Children and Youth, a non-standing committee in the General Assembly, is authorized to study and evaluate the State’s system of service delivery to children and youth on a continual basis. The Commission is also authorized to make recommendations for changes to the service delivery system to better meet the State’s children’s present and future needs.

      • In January 2009, the Commission reaffirmed the need for the state to protect its most vulnerable when it presented the following findings and recommendations to the General Assembly (the Commission’s full report can be found here):

      • Finding 2: The Commission finds that access to health care is a critical need for children and youth in North Carolina. Children are unable to learn and succeed if their health is suffering. Providing greater access to health care improves children’s health outcomes and creates economic activity throughout the State and stimulates health care job growth. The Commission finds that the number of uninsured children in North Carolina is increasing with the economic downturn.

      • Recommendation 2: The Commission recommends that the State offer affordable health coverage to all children by fully funding NC Health Choice, implementing NC Kids’ Care to children up to 300% of federal poverty level, and allowing families above that to buy into NC Kids’ Care by paying the full premium.

      • Finding 3: The Commission finds that many children suffer with mental health issues. When left untreated, mental health disorders can lead to school failure, family conflicts, substance abuse, and otherwise interfere with a child’s ability to succeed. Untreated mental health disorders can be very costly to families, communities, and the health care system.

      • Recommendation 3: The Commission recommends that mental health services be provided to children in this State through NC Health Choice and NC Kids’ Care”

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