In 2000, N.A.C.H.'s overall federal advocacy is organized around legislation that will achieve four goals to strengthen children's hospitals' ability to fulfill their missions. In pursuit of those goals, N.A.C.H. will have four top legislative priorities: relief from Medicaid DSH cuts, increased Medicaid and SCHIP enrollment, increased GME funding for children's hospitals, and an omnibus child health initiative spending authority.

For a more detailed version of the 2000 N.A.C.H. Federal Advocacy Agenda, click here.

Goal #1 Strengthening Children's Health Coverage
Legislation supported by N.A.C.H.

• Medicaid: Champion relief from BBA cuts in federal Medicaid DSH funding, effective implementation of Medicaid managed care protections for children with special needs, and improved Medicaid enrollment of children. Also explore the potential to develop advocacy strategies for improving Medicaid reimbursement for the care of children, focusing on reimbursement for physician, mental health, and/or dental care for children. Champion a Medicaid buy-in for children with special needs whose family incomes are too high to qualify for Medicaid.

• SCHIP: Champion improved SCHIP enrollment of children.

• Private Sector Managed Care: Champion children's managed care legislation to build support for improving pediatric provisions in any patients rights bill Congress enacts.

• "Interim" Funding: Champion a significant increase in the annual discretionary appropriation for new GME funding for independent children's hospitals plus action to establish a multi-year mandatory appropriation.

• "Long-Term" GME Financing Reform: Champion initiatives to provide broad-based GME financing for all teaching hospitals, including children's hospitals.

• Pediatric Biomedical Research: Champion increased appropriations and a multi-year spending authority for the NIH pediatric research initiative and other efforts to boost NIH support for pediatric research, such as pediatric research training grants.

• Pediatric Outcomes and Public Health Research: Champion legislation to strengthen federal investment in pediatric health services research, including outcomes research, and in pediatric public health research, such as infection control.

• Poison Control: Champion increased appropriations and a multi-year spending authority for support for poison control centers.

• Asthma Treatment: Champion increased appropriations and a multi-year spending authority for support for childhood asthma treatment and prevention.

• Other Public Health Initiatives: Support initiatives to reduce children's risk of firearms related injury or death, tobacco-use and related disease, and child abuse.

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