HM 889

1	House Memorial
2	A memorial to the Congress of the United States, urging
3	Congress to reauthorize the State Children's Health
4	Insurance Program to continue to provide federal funding
5	for the Florida Kidcare program.
6
7	WHEREAS, the Legislature of the State of Florida regards
8	the health of children to be of paramount importance to families
9	in the state, and
10	WHEREAS, the Legislature of the State of Florida regards
11	poor child health as a threat to the educational achievement and
12	social and psychological well-being of the children of the State
13	of Florida, and
14	WHEREAS, the Legislature of the State of Florida considers
15	protecting the health of children to be essential to the well-
16	being of Florida's youngest citizens and the quality of life in
17	the state, and
18	WHEREAS, the Legislature of the State of Florida considers
19	the Florida Kidcare program, which was created in 1998 and
20	currently has 202,214 children enrolled in the program, to be an
21	integral part of the arrangements for health benefits for the
22	children of the State of Florida, and
23	WHEREAS, the Legislature of the State of Florida recognizes
24	the value of the Florida Kidcare program in preserving child
25	wellness, preventing and treating childhood disease, improving
26	health outcomes, and reducing overall health costs, and
27	WHEREAS, the Legislature of the State of Florida considers
28	the federal funding available for the Florida Kidcare program to
29	be indispensable to providing health benefits for children of
30	modest means, NOW, THEREFORE,
31
32	Be It Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
33
34	That the Legislature urges the members of the Florida
35	delegation to the United States Congress to ensure that the
36	Congress reauthorizes the State Children's Health Insurance
37	Program (SCHIP) to continue to provide federal funding for the
38	Florida Kidcare program.
39	BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature urges the
40	Governor to work with the Florida delegation to ensure that
41	SCHIP is reauthorized in a timely manner.
42	BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature urges the
43	Governor to provide the assistance necessary to identify and
44	enroll children who qualify for Medicaid or the Florida Kidcare
45	program.
46	BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature proclaims that
47	all components of state government should work together with
48	educators, health care providers, social workers, and parents to
49	ensure that all available public and private assistance for
50	providing health benefits to uninsured children in this state be
51	used to the maximum extent possible.
52	BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be
53	dispatched to the President of the United States, to the
54	President of the United States Senate, to the Speaker of the
55	United States House of Representatives, and to each member of
56	the Florida delegation to the United States Congress.

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.