Government
Bill proposes giving kids universal coverage
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted June 18, 2007
By 2014 every child up to age 23 would have health insurance with preventive screening and prescription drug coverage under legislation introduced by Rep. Pete Stark (D, Calif.) in late May. Children not eligible for other public insurance would be able to enroll in MediKids, a new program, regardless of their families' income status. Children in families earning up to 300% of the poverty level would be eligible for sliding-scale premiums and co-payments. Those earning less than 150% of the poverty level would be exempt from cost-sharing.
The American Academy of Family Physicians and American Academy of Pediatrics support the bill. An estimated 9 million U.S. children lack insurance.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2007/06/18/gvbf0618.htm.
