Gillibrand Votes to Increase Access and Improve the Quality of Health Care for Seniors, Children
Press Release
Gillibrand Votes to Increase Access and Improve the Quality of Health Care for Seniors, Children
Last night, local Congresswoman Kirsten Gillibrand voted in favor of H.R. 3162, the Children's Health and Medicare Protection Act of 2007 (CHAMP Act) to improve healthcare for seniors and children. The CHAMP Act- the paramount health care initiative passed in the Congress so far this year- will provide additional benefits to Medicare beneficiaries and provide health care coverage to 11 million uninsured children. The CHAMP Act passed with bipartisan support, however the President has threatened to veto the landmark legislation for seniors.
"Increasing access and improving the quality of health care are two prime reasons why I came to the Congress to change the direction of our country. Healthcare is an ever growing crisis in this Country and serious reforms are needed. I was pleased to be involved in the process of crafting this important piece of legislation that will help Upstate New York's hospitals, doctors, seniors and children," Congresswoman Gillibrand said.
The CHAMP Act strengthens Medicare services for all seniors and increases the solvency of the Medicare Trust Fund. H.R. 3162 will reverse the planned 10% payment cuts to doctors who serve Medicare beneficiaries, therefore, increasing seniors' choice of high-quality doctors in their area. In addition, the legislation eliminates the Medicare Part D late-enrollment tax on low income seniors.
The CHAMP Act also makes the following preventative screenings free for seniors:
Prostate and colorectal cancer screening tests
Mammography screening
Screening for glaucoma
Nutrition therapy services
Cardiovascular screening blood test
Diabetes screening tests and diabetes outpatient self-management training
Vaccines, including the flu and hepatitis B vaccines
Representative Gillibrand stated, "I am proud to support this legislation that increases seniors' access to premier doctors and provides free, valuable benefits to Medicare beneficiaries. Providing additional preventative care benefits will bring down the long-term cost of health care, and reward seniors after their decades of hard work and service to the country."
The CHAMP Act also reauthorizes the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), otherwise known at Child Health Plus in New York State. There are currently 6 million children enrolled in SCHIP, including 400,000 in New York; the number of uninsured children in New York has decreased by 40% since the creation of the SCHIP program in 1997.
"It is unacceptable that 9 million children in America, including 400,000 in New York, do not have health insurance. Children's health care is a moral issue, and the CHAMP Act makes great strides in reaching out to uninsured children and their families." Gillibrand added, "Money spent on children's health care is a smart investment and will make America more competitive in the global marketplace."
The CHAMP Act has been endorsed by the AARP and the American Medical Association (AMA). The legislation is deficit neutral and complies with Pay-As-You-Go (PAYGO) rules.
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