Print Message | Close From : "National Council" To : ajax-1@juno.com Subject : [National Council] Urge Your Senators to Support Rehab Rule Moratorium in SCHIP! Date : Mon, Sep 17, 2007 02:57 PM
If you're having trouble viewing this email, you may see it online.
Call Your Senators to Ask them to Include Medicaid Rehab Services Option, School-Based Services Rule Moratorium in
SCHIP Conference Package Today!
Executive Summary: As members of Congress continue negotiations on legislation to reauthorize and expand the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), the National Council urges all members to contact their Senators TODAY and ask them to support the inclusion of Section 814 of the House’s SCHIP bill in the final conference report on SCHIP. Section 814 would impose a one-year moratorium on the issuance of new rules from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on both the Medicaid rehabilitative services option and school-based services. Recent reports from Capitol Hill indicate that the House and Senate are close to an agreement on SCHIP but it is unclear whether the moratorium will be part of the final package – making it crucial that you call to voice your support for inclusion of Section 814 today!
Background: Before adjourning for the month-long August recess, both the House and Senate passed separate bills to reauthorize and expand SCHIP, which is set to expire on September 30, 2007. While both bills seek to reauthorize and expand SCHIP, differences in the two bills must be resolved by a joint House-Senate conference committee before the legislation can be passed on to the President for final approval. If a conference report is not produced by September 30, Congress will need to pass an extension to continue funding for SCHIP, most likely at the programs current levels.
In the House, the Children's Health and Medicare Protection (CHAMP) Act of 2007 (HR 3162) would expand SCHIP by $50 billion over the next five years and includes a variety of Medicaid and Medicare provisions. Section 814 of the CHAMP Act would impose a one-year moratorium on the issuance of new rules from CMS on both the Medicaid rehabilitative services option and school-based services. The National Council has been advocating for a moratorium on rulemaking related to the rehabilitative service option along with a number of other mental health and disability groups and was one of the groups that worked to have this language included in the CHAMP Act.
On August 13, CMS released proposed regulations on the Medicaid rehabilitative services option. Based on our initial review of the proposed regulations, the National Council believes our advocacy has minimized some of the damage that could have been done to the Rehabilitation Option. However, we still have some serious concerns about the proposed regulations, and questions regarding how certain sections could be interpreted. A one-year moratorium would protect these vital services and allow the National Council and other advocacy groups more time to work to preserve funding for and access to these important services.
In the Senate, the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007 (S 1893) would expand SCHIP by $35 billion over five years. The Senate bill does not include any of the House’s other Medicaid and Medicare provisions. While both bills include increases in the tobacco tax to fund SCHIP, the Senate bill includes a larger increase.
Action Needed: I, in support of the National Council, urge my readers to contact all Senate offices and ask them to support the inclusion of Section 814 of the House’s CHAMP Act in the conference report on SCHIP.
To find your Senators’ contact information, go to: www.senate.gov/ or call the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121.
What Should You Say? I am calling to urge the Senator to support the inclusion of Section 814 of the House’s CHAMP Act in the conference report on SCHIP. This one-year moratorium on rulemaking related to the Medicaid rehabilitative services option and school-based services would protect funding for these vital services.
National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare
12300 Twinbrook Parkway, Suite 320, Rockville, Maryland 20852
(301) 984-6200 | (301) 881-7159 fax | www.nccbh.org
This email was sent to ajax-1@juno.com. To ensure that you continue receiving our emails, please add us to your address book or safe list.
manage your preferences | opt out using TrueRemove®.
Got this as a forward? Sign up to receive our future emails.
 2
 
SCHIP Conference Package Near CompletionBy National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare Posted by Kenneth Briggs (about the submitter) No comments
|
|
| Rate It | View Ratings |
Kenneth Briggs Social Media Pages: 
An OEN Editor. Born-03/20/1934, BA Pol. Sci.-U of Washington-1956, MBA-Seattle U-1970, Boeing-Program Control-1957-1971, State of Oregon-Mental Health Division-Deputy Admistrator-1971-1979, llinois Association of Community MH (more...)
The views expressed herein are the sole responsibility of the author
and do not necessarily reflect those of this website or its editors.
OpEdNews depends upon can't survive without your help.
If you value this article and the work of OpEdNews, please either Donate or Purchase a premium membership.
STAY IN THE KNOW
If you've enjoyed this, sign up for our daily or weekly newsletter to get lots of great progressive content.
If you've enjoyed this, sign up for our daily or weekly newsletter to get lots of great progressive content.
To View Comments or Join the Conversation:
