Thursday, April 26, 2007

A look at the Children’s Defense Fund of Texas report

By Larry James of Urban Daily

At times our conversations and debates concerning public policy leave us "stuck" in abstractions and theoretical concerns. After all, most of us here have the luxury of conversation about what are, for millions of other people, matters of life and death, literally.

Just this week I received a comprehensive report from the Children's Defense Fund of Texas (CDF) on how Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) work or, in far too many cases, don't work in Texas ("In Harm's Way: True Stories of Uninsured Texas Children").

The format of CDF's report is brilliant.

Woven among the typical statistical analysis provided by such reports are the stories of real life people--men, women, children and families. These stories make the report "live."

Issues addressed include matters of recertification, income limits, delays in the process, impact of the value of owned vehicles, etc. Basically, the report educates us about what consumers of these insurance products already know all too well: they are not set up to serve the most in the best manner. Attepmts to contain costs by erecting barriers to useage can prove to be deadly.

The report is dedicated to the memory of Devante Johnson.

Here's his story as told by the CDF report:

The "bottom line" of the CDF report on Texas is very simple and straightforward. Every child in the state who is uninsured should be enrolled in either Medicaid or CHIP today. Making this policy decision is smart for children and for every Texas taxpayer.

Beyond being smart, such a strategy is the right, just and compassionate thing to do.

Pegasus News content partner - Larry James Urban Daily

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