July 11, 2000

Dear Democratic Colleague:

More than 44 million Americans lack health insurance coverage. The uninsured are predominantly workers and their families. More than 40 percent of workers who earn less than 200 percent of the poverty level ($28,300 for a family of 3 in 2000) do not have health insurance. More than three-quarters of uninsured children come from working families.

These families have no place to turn for help. Often they work for employers who do not offer coverage, or they are ineligible for coverage, or in some cases, they simply can’t afford to participate. And, in more than two-thirds of states, a parent working full time at minimum wage does not qualify for health insurance through Medicaid.

This is a serious problem, that is only getting worse.

Soon we will introduce the FamilyCare Act of 2000, which creates a number of options for states to provide health insurance coverage to American families through existing programs.

The FamilyCare Act of 2000:

• provides new federal funding, incentives, and authority for states to expand health insurance coverage to parents of children enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP;
• allows states to extend Medicaid and CHIP coverage to: children up to age 21, legal immigrant children and pregnant women, and first-time pregnant women;

  facilitates the transition from welfare to work by guaranteeing health insurance coverage for up to one year;

• assists states in increasing enrollment of children who are currently eligible for health insurance by providing new options for outreach, presumptive eligibility, streamlining enrollment procedures, and coordinating services;
• simplifies the application process for CHIP and Medicaid; and
• provides grants for states to develop innovative health insurance options for the uninsured.

We invite you to join us in cosponsoring the FamilyCare Act of 2000. This legislation represents an important step forward in providing health insurance coverage to uninsured, working Americans. To cosponsor or for information, call Bridgett Taylor or Amy Droskoski at 6-3400 (Commerce Minority Staff).

Sincerely,