Hey Everyone – I just came across a new item on the www.electsusie.com website about Susie and the Children's Defense Fund supporting Congressman Bobby Scott's (D-VA) All Healthy Children Act (HR 1688).  It's great to see Congressman Scott striving to make a real difference, and I wish more of our elected officials and candidates for office would get behind such promising and compelling legislation. According to the CDF website, Congressman Scott's new bill would:

• Simplifies and consolidates children's health coverage under Medicaid and SCHIP into a single program that guarantees children in all 50 states and the District of Columbia all medically necessary services.
• Expands eligibility to all children with family incomes at or below 300% of the federal poverty level ($61,950 for a family of four).
• Guarantees coverage to children regardless of their state of residence.
• Eliminates barriers to enrollment ; applications for health care coverage would be short and simple to complete; and all states would adopt presumptive eligibility for children and pregnant women.
• Increases provider rates to make sure that children have access to needed health care professionals.
• Provides coverage to pregnant women with incomes at or below 300% of the federal poverty level. Pregnant women are eligible for all medically necessary health and mental health services until at least 60 days after the birth of the child.

This legislation has the potential to truly improve the lives of the 9 million children in America who are still without health insurance, not to mention the millions more who are underinsured.  I encourage everyone to join Susie and the CDF in their support of the All Healthy Children Act by going to www.electsusie.com and signing her petition in support of health insurance for all children.  Here is the news item from Susie's campaign:

Legislation That Susie Can Get Behind

A number of pieces of legislation have been introduced to Congress lately attempting to solve the problem of the nine million uninsured children in America. (Your Members of Congress are listening!) Last week, however, Congressman Scott (D-VA) stepped forward to do something real for our children with his introduction of the All Healthy Children Act (HR 1688).

Unlike other health care proposals, Congressman Scott's legislation guarantees all nine million uninsured children and pregnant women access to the health care they need.  Because of this, Susie and the Children's Defense Fund (CDF) have endorsed the All Healthy Children Act (HR 1688) and applaud Congressman Scott for having the vision to make health and mental health care a reality for all children in America.

To learn more about the All Healthy Children Act (HR 1688) and CDF's Healthy Child campaign, please visit
www.childrensdefense.org/healthychild.