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March of Dimes Statement on U.S. Senate Finance Committee’s Approval of SCHIP Expansion Legislation
Washington, DC, July 11, 2002 — The following is a statement by Dr. Jennifer L. Howse, President of the March of Dimes, on the U.S. Senate Finance Committee’s approval of legislation to give states the option of adding income eligible pregnant women to their Children’s Health Insurance Program.
Today, on behalf of more than 3 million volunteers and 1600 staff members of the March of Dimes, I applaud Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) and the Senate Finance Committee for approving legislation to give states the flexibility they need to provide health insurance to uninsured pregnant women who meet the income requirements of the program.
Eleven million women of childbearing age—more than one in six—have no health insurance and that number is on the rise. According to U.S. Census Bureau data commissioned by the March of Dimes, while the overall number of uninsured declined in 2000, the proportion of women of childbearing age (15-44) without health insurance was 18.0 percent—an increase from 1999. More than a quarter of the 38 million uninsured Americans are women of childbearing age.
Lack of coverage is a significant barrier to health care and late or no prenatal care has been associated with poor pregnancy outcomes. Yet 36 states and the District of Columbia have more restrictive income eligibility rules for pregnant women than for their newborns. Providing states the tools they need to get health insurance to pregnant women should be a priority for this Congress.
Contact: Christina Manero, (202) 261-7582
Matthew Rhodes, (202) 659-1800
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