Newspapers recently reported on children's health care developments in New York, Oregon and Texas. Summaries of the coverage appear below.
New York: New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer (D) on Wednesday said that he wants to increase the number of local outpatient centers for children, the New York Daily News reports. He said, "We need to pivot away from a structure that has been institution-bound and move into the community," a transition that "can be a bit discomforting but necessary." He noted that community-based centers provide low-cost, accessible and preventive health care. Spitzer recently has been criticized for his proposed fiscal year 2008 budget, which includes $1 billion in health care cuts. Spitzer said his budget would provide more funding for health insurance for low-income children (Lucadamo, New York Daily News, 3/8).
Oregon: Less than half of the estimated $182 million that would be generated by increasing the state tax on cigarettes by 84.5 cents per pack would go toward expanding children's health insurance, according to details of Gov. Ted Kulongoski's (D) "Healthy Kids" proposal, the Oregonian reports. According to the proposal, $80 million would go to the children's insurance program, $45 million would go to Oregon Health Plan for low-income adults and $22 million would go to the state's general fund. The remainder would go to other existing health programs. State House Republicans have criticized the plan, saying money intended for children's health insurance should not be used to fund other programs. Supporters of Healthy Kids say it will take time to fully implement the proposal and, until then, the state will have surplus funds from the tax. Lawmakers will debate how those funds should be spent (Colburn, Oregonian, 3/7).
Texas: U.S. District Judge William Wayne Justice this year is expected to order improvements to the state's children's Medicaid program to settle a class-action lawsuit filed in 1993, the Dallas Morning News reports. State lawmakers are speculating that Justice will order improvements that total as much as $7 billion, the Morning News reports. Susan Zinn, the plaintiffs lead attorney in the case, said that lawmakers' high-end estimates for the judge's order are "too high." Zinn last month filed about a dozen proposed orders with Justice, such as increasing reimbursements to physicians, dentists, pharmacists and medical equipment suppliers; requiring the state to provide better transportation for low-income children to health care appointments; and requiring the state to better educate families about health care benefits that their children can receive. A spokesperson for Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott (R) on Tuesday said that the state likely will appeal Justice's expected order (Garrett, Dallas Morning News, 3/7).
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