Washington, D.C.: Congressman Ernie Fletcher (R-KY) was successful today in passing an amendment in the full Budget Committee that addresses a crisis within in our health system. Fletcher’s amendment would help accelerate the enrollment of uninsured children in State health programs and provide Medicaid treatment for uninsured women who have been diagnosed with breast and cervical cancer through the Centers of Disease Control spending program.

    "Today - I was successful in taking another important step towards ensuring that we address the health care crisis of the 44 million uninsured in America," said Fletcher. "My amendment, which passed in the full Budget Committee with bipartisan support, will help ensure that uninsured children get quality health care and that uninsured women who have been diagnosed with breast or cervical cancer receive Medicaid dollars for their treatment. Ultimately, this bill addresses a greatest need in health care access for patients - women with cervical and breast cancer and children who have no insurance or access to essential treatment."

Fletcher’s amendment would achieve the following:

• Making sure all eligible children are enrolled in State Children’s Health Care Programs (SCHIP): In order to ensure all eligible children are enrolled in SCHIP programs (KCHIP in Kentucky), Fletcher’s amendment would accelerate the enrollment of SCHIP programs by giving states the flexibility to use the school lunch rolls to identify children who are eligible for health care coverage.
• Ensuring Medicaid coverage for uninsured women diagnosed with breast or cervical cancer through the Centers for Disease Control screening program: Last year Congressman Fletcher was successful in establishing a Centers for Disease Control Cancer Prevention Center at the University of Kentucky. This is why his amendment is so important. Fletcher’s amendment would ensure that uninsured women diagnosed with breast and cervical cancer at CDC centers are made eligible for the Medicaid coverage they need to be treated for these serious illnesses.

    "Ensuring quality health care coverage for the low-income and uninsured is about making the system work more efficiently," said Fletcher. "I believe that my amendment achieves just that - we are finally answering the bipartisan call of our nation’s Governors to give them the ability to enroll more children in SCHIP programs. Just as importantly, we are ensuring treatment for one of the most threatening diseases of our time among uninsured women."

Editor’s Note: The budget still needs to be passed by the full House of Representative, United States Senate and signed into law by the President.