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GOVERNOR SPITZER PUSHES PLAN TO ENSURE ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE HEALTH COVERAGE FOR ALL NEW YORK CHILDREN
State Fills the Funding Gap Created by Federal Failure

Governor Eliot Spitzer and Legislators today visited the Philip J. Schuyler Achievement Academy, a public elementary school in Albany, to demonstrate their commitment to providing affordable health coverage for every New York child. In the wake of the Bush Administration’s failure to fund the expansion of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), the Governor's Executive Budget will make up the funding gap in order to protect this important initiative.

The budget provides funding to expand the State's version of SCHIP, Child Health Plus, by increasing income eligibility levels from 250 percent to 400 percent of the Federal Poverty Level, making New York's program one of the most comprehensive in the nation. Governor Spitzer made this announcement during his State of the State address and full details of the plan will be outlined in Governor Spitzer's Executive Budget Presentation on Tuesday, January 22, 2008.

“In the face of Washington’s inaction, New York State is taking bold steps to ensure the protection and welfare of society’s most vulnerable residents: our children,” said Governor Spitzer. “President Bush’s incomprehensible decision to veto SCHIP has left the duty of insuring children to our state. New York will not allow the failure of the White House to deprive essential health care to those who need it most. This initiative has wide, bipartisan support across the state and I commend all of our partners who have worked tirelessly on behalf of New York's children.”

Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton said: "I was proud to support the bipartisan legislation in Congress that would have assisted NY with expansion of Child Health Plus, but the President vetoed it leaving New York and our children on their own. Governor Spitzer's commitment to fully fund the program despite the President's actions will allow tens of thousands of uninsured children to access affordable, quality healthcare and I commend Governor Spitzer for his leadership on behalf of New York's children."

Congressman Eliot Engel, a senior member of the Health Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, said: "I commend Governor Spitzer for once again prioritizing children's health care in his budget. While the President has twice vetoed bi-partisan legislation that I worked on to expand coverage for low-income uninsured kids, Governor Spitzer has risen to the occasion to take care of the children of New York."

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver said: “The Assembly Majority has long been at the forefront of efforts to ensure that all children in New York State have access to health care, and we applaud and strongly support Governor Spitzer's shared commitment to expand the Child Health Insurance program – despite the lack of support from the Bush Administration. The Capital District Assembly majority delegation, led by Majority Leader Ron Canestrari, has provided vital support for child health programs throughout the region.”

Senator Neil Breslin said: “It is obvious that we will have to act on our own to take care of the children in New York State. We found out last year that we could not expect any help from President Bush in expanding access to health care for children. I am grateful to be working with a Governor who understands our responsibility to the children in our care and understands how imperative it is to provide them with access to primary, preventive care.”

Assemblymember Jack McEneny said: “All children deserve quality health care, which is essential for them to grow, thrive and succeed in school and in life. It is shocking and short-sighted that the federal government would deny children access to basic health coverage. I am pleased to be a part of the effort to make sure that New York State’s children do not suffer. This is just another example of how the Bush Administration is out of touch with the needs of middle class families.”

Albany County Executive Mike Breslin said: “I salute Governor Spitzer’s commitment to the health of the children of our state. The expansion of Child Health Plus will make regular and preventative health care available to every child in the state.”

Albany Mayor Jerry Jennings said: “I applaud Governor Spitzer for his commitment to fully fund the Child Health insurance program. With additional state support, all 400,000 of our uninsured young people will now be eligible for coverage. Despite the Bush Administration's opposition, Governor Spitzer, is, once again, providing the necessary leadership to keep New York's children as a primary focus."

State Health Commissioner Richard F. Daines, M.D., said: "Every child should have access to routine, preventive health care, and Governor Spitzer's plan to expand Child Health Plus will fill that need. Children who receive primary and preventive care are generally healthier, and access to quality health care is the key."

Eva C. Joseph, Ed.D., City School District of Albany Superintendent said: “Providing access to quality health care services for all students and families is a critical issue for our school district and districts across New York State. Healthy children are better positioned to be successful students, giving them the opportunity to build a foundation for success that will last a lifetime. We applaud Governor Spitzer for this commitment to children and their families.”

James D. Sinkoff, President & CEO of Whitney M. Young, Jr. Health Services said: “I fully support Governor Spitzer’s approach to ensuring that eligible children receive the benefits provided by the SCHIP Program. At a child’s most vulnerable stage of growth and development it is both immoral and unconscionable that the federal government would add to the barriers that are already confronting working families and the poor, leaving them out of the safety net. I support Governor Spitzer’s staunch opposition to the federal administration’s policy denying working families this important benefit. I applaud his leadership in making certain that the State of New York responds to ensuring that Capital Region children will have access to high quality and affordable primary and preventative care services, such as those provided at Whitney Young and other health care providers throughout the region.”

Karen Schimke, President & CEO Schuyler Center for Analysis and Advocacy, said: “People with health insurance have a far greater chance of getting health care. This link is particularly significant for children because they need to receive various health, mental health and dental services while they are growing. Physicians, teachers and others who work with kids know that healthy children learn better in school and have a better chance of becoming healthy, productive adults.”

Emma Jordan-Simpson, Executive Director of the Children’s Defense Fund-New York said: “Despite the federal government’s refusal to support children’s health coverage, Governor Spitzer is doing what is morally right-working to ensure that every child in New York has health coverage. We know that children who have health coverage are much more likely to receive regular and preventive medical care. And, we know that healthy children do better in school and ultimately have better outcomes in life.”

C. Warren Moses, CEO of The Children’s Aid Society (CAS), said: “The Children’s Aid Society strongly supports the new children’s health initiatives that the Governor has proposed in the State of the State address. Access to affordable, high quality health care for all children in New York State is an important, laudable, and reasonable goal. CAS fully supports the plan to fund the expansion of Child Health Plus which will assure that the 400,000 uninsured children in New York State will now be eligible for health insurance coverage.”

Diana Y. Haldenwang, Executive Director of Mohawk Valley Perinatal Network, Inc. said: “Each day we see hard-working families struggle to provide high cost health insurance for their children and other basic family needs such as food, housing and transportation. As employers cut back on their share of health insurance costs, families need a more affordable option for health insurance for their children.”

Richard Kirsch, Executive Director of Citizen Action of New York, said: “We’re glad to see that Governor Spitzer is not willing to accept the Bush administration’s rejection of making health care affordable to all children in New York. Given that the President has dropped the ball on health care for kids, New York must pick it up. We urge the State Legislature to support the Governor’s call for state funding so that Child Health Plus is affordable to all children in our State.”

JoAnn M. Smith, president and CEO of Family Planning Advocates of New York State, said: “We applaud Governor Spitzer for renewing his commitment to expand access to affordable health coverage for New York’s children. There is no excuse for leaving children uninsured. Families should not have to choose between paying the rent and taking their children to the doctor.”

Gwen O’Shea, President/CEO of Health & Welfare Council of Long Island, said: “While the federal government continues to struggle with the reauthorization of the State’s Children’s Health Insurance Program and creates barriers to accessing health care, the Governor is doing quite the opposite. The Governor’s proposal to utilize State dollars for the SCHIP program will ensure that every child has access to adequate health insurance regardless of their socioeconomic status or their geographic location. The Health & Welfare Council of Long Island commends and supports the Governors’ commitment to ensuring the health of every child in New York State.”

Medicaid Matters New York Coordinator Denise Soffel said: "The Governor's State of the State message recognizes the importance of Medicaid and public coverage for all New Yorkers. Expanding coverage for children and making it easier to enroll in the program will encourage many New Yorkers to apply for the coverage they need.”

Elizabeth Swain, CEO of the Community Health Care Association of New York State said: “By fully funding the State Children’s Health Program, New York’s children, whether they live on a farm in Yates County or in the inner-city can count on a healthier life—a life of hope, education and achievement. The Governor’s health care vision of enhancing primary and preventive care and expanding coverage heralds a healthier future for all of us.”

Moises Perez, Executive Director of Alianza Dominicana, said: “We applaud Governor Spitzer’s announcement during the State of the State address that he will be expanding the Child Health Plus program. Our state health insurance programs are particularly important because they provide the only access to medical care and services than many hard working New Yorkers have. As a result of these programs, thousands of children and families now have access to a regular doctor, and the preventive care they need, which means fewer trips in the middle of the night to the emergency room.”

David R. Jones, president and CEO of the Community Service Society of New York said: “Governor Spitzer has taken decisive action to fill the unconscionable void left by the federal government - we applaud him for taking this critical step to ensuring affordable healthcare coverage for the children of New York.”