Editorial: Children’s health care goes unmet

Saturday, Sept. 30, 2000 | 2:46 a.m.

It's a shame that Nevada will have to lose $18 million in unspent federal funds that were earmarked to provide health insurance to children from lower-income families. Nevada isn't alone, though. There are 40 states that will have to forfeit a total of $1.9 billion to the federal government because the money hasn't been used from the Children's Health Insurance Program. The unused money will go to the 10 states that already have used their full allocation, which not only rewards them for implementing successful programs, but also allows them to extend health insurance coverage to even more children.

The Children's Health Insurance Program was initiated three years ago to fill a gap in medical coverage for children of parents who don't make enough money to obtain insurance through a private company, yet at the same time make too much to qualify for coverage under the government's Medicaid program. In Nevada those families eligible for the program pay fees on a sliding scale. For example, a family of four earning between $28,000 and $32,000 pays a maximum of $200 per year for medical coverage, while dentist visits and prescriptions require a $5 co-payment.

When the program was started in Nevada, it was first estimated that 45,000 children could be enrolled. While the initial projections of who would be eligible undoubtedly were too rosy, the fact remains that this state has done poorly, with just 11,500 expected to be enrolled this year. One of the reasons why Nevada has been slow to get children in this program is that its initial outreach program wasn't aggressive enough in getting the word out that this low-cost insurance coverage was available. It should be noted, however, that the federal government also deserves a share of the blame since it took the federal agency overseeing the program too long to approve Nevada's plan.

The states and the federal government need to regroup regarding this important program, which has enrolled 2 million children nationwide. They need to find a way to make this insurance program work. There's too much at stake to do otherwise. Unhealthy children just don't have the same opportunities as do those who have access to medical care through their parents' health insurance policies. In a nation this prosperous it is unthinkable that there are children in pain with decaying teeth because they can't afford dental care. For that matter, it's a sad commentary that there are children in danger of coming down with life-threatening illnesses or diseases because their parents don't have enough money to see a doctor.