Julie K. Schnell and Dick Pettingill: Let's find money to cover health care for kids

Quality care is useless without access. The program known as SCHIP provides it for millions

Star Tribune

http://www.startribune.com/562/story/1335840.html

There are 9 million uninsured children in America, and 86,154 in Minnesota. Lacking insurance, they often go without care.

As health-care workers and providers, we understand that access comes first. Without it, quality improvements, innovative technologies and compassionate care providers cannot make a difference. We have to see the patient. We want to ensure that everyone has access to health care of the highest quality, and we have seen firsthand how the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) has done that for millions of children across the nation.

The federal budget resolution passed by Congress includes a $50 billion increase for the children's insurance program. We need to ensure that this crucial funding is included in the bill that reauthorizes SCHIP and in the final federal budget.

Unfortunately, President Bush has threatened to veto increased funding for children's health care.

Last month, a majority of Democrats and Republicans on the Senate Finance Committee came together and introduced a bill to renew the children's insurance program using a tobacco tax. We support the increased tax on tobacco to pay the way. This new funding would provide health-care coverage to millions of kids and help ease the fears of millions of parents.

Minnesota stands to receive $766 million in new federal money to cover uninsured children in the state. Minnesota took great strides in the last legislative session to extend coverage for kids. And, just last week, the National Governor's Association asked President Bush to support SCHIP in a letter signed by Democrats and Republicans, including our own Gov. Tim Pawlenty.

It's time we put partisan fights aside and come together as a community and take action to address our health-care crisis. As the leaders of Minnesota's largest health-care workers union and Minnesota's largest health-delivery system, we urge Congress to pass this legislation. Providing access to basic health care for our nation's newest generation should be the simplest step.

Julie K. Schnell is president of SEIU Healthcare Minnesota. Dick Pettingill is president and CEO of Allina Hospitals and Clinics.