>Children's Defense Fund Update >October 3, 1997 >In this issue: >--Census Bureau Data >--New Child Health Insurance Program > >--- Census Bureau Data --- > >*** BIG ECONOMIC GAINS LIFT VERY FEW CHILDREN OUT OF >POVERTY *** > >This week, the Census Bureau's release of 1996 income and >poverty statistics reported a continued rise in the median >income in 1996, the fifth year of U.S. economic recovery. >The figures disappointingly showed that even while the >median income rose, child poverty rates for 1996 were >virtually unchanged. The rate of child poverty declined by >only three-tenths of one percent from 1995 to 1996 (from >20.8 percent to 20.5 percent) and actually rose slightly for >children in working families. Overall, there were 14.46 >million children living in poverty in 1996, compared to >14.66 million children in 1995. > >Moreover, the number of uninsured children up through and >including age 18 rose to 11.3 million in 1996, or 15.1 >percent of all such children -- the largest numbers ever >recorded by the Census Bureau. "Many claims have been made >about families who have left welfare," said CDF President >Marian Wright Edelman. "While far too little is known about >their children's well-being, today's data warn us that many >are failing to rise out of poverty, and, even worse, some >are losing their health coverage as well." > >A number of other unfortunate records were set in this >year's poverty statistics: > >* The number of poor families with children headed by >someone who worked during the year reached 3.6 million in >1996, higher than any year since 1975, when these data were >first available. > >* 69 percent of all poor children live in a family where >someone (not always the head of household) worked in 1996, >also a record high, and up from 61 percent as recently as >1993. > >* 1996 marked the first year on record in which Hispanic >children were the poorest racial/ethnic group of children. >Child poverty rates increased slightly for Hispanic and >White children (to 40.3 percent and 16.3 percent >respectively), while declining slightly for Black children >(to 39.9 percent). > > >As the 1996 welfare law is implemented, increasing numbers >of families with children are joining the ranks of the >working poor. The Census data suggest that without >concerted action by business and government, children will >not only experience unrelieved poverty but are also likely >to lose health coverage. > >* For more information on the Census Bureau Report, contact: >T'Wana Lucas at (202) 662-3542; ><[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >or visit the CDF Website at: <www.childrensdefense.org>. > >---New Child Health Insurance Program--- > >*** STATES NEED TO KEEP MOVING TO IMPLEMENT THE NEW CHILD >HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM *** > >The statistics in the rise on uninsured children issued by >the Census Bureau this week underline the compelling need >for states to move quickly to implement the new child health >insurance program Congress passed this summer. "Children in >low-wage, working families with incomes too high for >Medicaid -- exactly the group targeted by the recent child >health bill -- are falling through the ever-widening hole in >the employment-based insurance system," concluded Marian >Wright Edelman. "We call upon every Governor and state >legislator to use the $4 billion a year in new child health >grants to make sure these children get the health coverage >they need to grow up healthy and strong." The new child >health law will cover children up through and including 18 >year olds. > >A number of states are moving quickly to implement the new >State Child Health Insurance Program, using the federal >funding that was made available beginning October 1st. The >program gives states grants to provide health insurance for >uninsured children in working families through expanded >Medicaid or separate child health programs. > >A Children's Defense Fund survey of 30 states' actions on >child health implementation, through September 29th, >provides the first national snap-shot of how states are >implementing the new program. The survey found several >trends of note: > >A number of states have adopted or proposed substantial >early expansions of health coverage: > >* Numerous states plan to expand affordable, comprehensive >coverage to uninsured children by building on existing >programs. In some states, state officials propose or plan >to cover previously uninsured children through Medicaid, >which provides the full range of services that children >need, with low family costs. > >* A number of states have created task forces or working >groups. Certain states have established advisory groups to >recommend approaches or describe options for implementing >the federal legislation for uninsured children in families >with incomes above the existing Medicaid levels. > >* A few states have begun brand new programs. Some states >signed new programs into law that were passed during their >regular legislative sessions and other states have proposed >new programs or are currently developing programs. > >States differ in whether or not they plan to help the >largest possible number of uninsured children: > >* Most states moving forward with specific proposals cover >as many uninsured children as possible under the new law, >generally reaching uninsured children with family incomes >below $26,000 a year for a family of three (200 percent of >the federal poverty level). Others have so far proposed to >help only some of those children. > >A number of states, including several of the larger states, >have not announced their plans or, at least publicly, given >much indication of progress. Some states may have already >adopted large child health programs before passage of the >new federal law. > > >** Contact your Governor's office, state agencies, and your >state legislator's staff to find out the status of the new >State Child Health Insurance Program in your state and >encourage them to implement the new program as quickly as >possible. > >For more information on the new State Child Health Insurance >Program and/or a chart detailing CDF survey results in all >30 states visit the CDF Website at ><www.chil,drensdefense.org>, write to >< [EMAIL PROTECTED]>, or contact the CDF Field >Division at 202/628-8787. >************************************************************ >-- For more information on the Children's Defense Fund, >visit our Web site at http://www.childrensdefense.org. > >-- OUR STRENGTH IS IN OUR NUMBERS -- >SHARE THIS LEGISLATIVE UPDATE WITH YOUR FRIENDS!!! > >Our typical email is about a page or two long and generally >comes once a week. To join our legislative update email >list, sign-up on our website or send an email to: ><[EMAIL PROTECTED]> and write in the body of the >message: subscribe cdfupdate <your email address> > >PLEASE NOTE: WHEN SUBSCRIBING OR UNSUBSCRIBING, PLEASE DO >NOT SURROUND YOUR ADDRESS WITH BRACKETS. > >For questions or comments, write or send an email to: > >Kimberly Taylor >Children's Defense Fund >25 E Street, NW >Washington, DC 20001 >202/662-3540 (fax) >[EMAIL PROTECTED] > >"What is done to children, they will do to society." --Karl >Menninger
