WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Daniel K. Akaka and Daniel K. Inouye cheered the Senate's passage today of the revised Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act (H.R. 3963) by a vote of 64-30, thereby sending the revised bill back to President Bush for his consideration.    

Senator Akaka said: "President Bush should not oppose this bipartisan legislation intended to benefit children. His stated reasoning of fiscal discipline is illogical as he creates the biggest debt in our nation's history and spends trillions in Iraq."

"Children need and deserve preventative healthcare to help them grow into active, healthy adults.  In addition, our hospitals in Hawaii are depending on funding in this bill to compensate them for treating Medicaid and uninsured patients.  Another veto would be tragic for our keiki and hospitals across the islands," Akaka said.

Senator Inouye added: "This bill is about compassion. Compassion for the children of working families. The Children's Health Insurance Program has proven to be an invaluable and successful initiative, and it has earned our support. I hope the President will not again veto this crucial measure. Access to basic health care for Hawaii's and the nation's children must continue to be one of our nation's top priorities."

Like the previous version of the bill passed in September, today's bill includes a provision providing Hawaii with a Medicaid disproportionate share hospital (DSH) allotment.

This provision will provide more than $100 million in Medicaid DSH funds for Hawaii hospitals over the next 10 years. 

Hawaii's allotment would be $10 million for Fiscal Year (FY) 2008

For FY 2009 and beyond, the allotment would increase with annual inflation updates.

Medicaid DHS payments are designed to provide additional support to hospitals that treat large numbers of Medicaid and uninsured patients.  To utilize the federal funding, the Hawaii State Legislature must provide required matching funds. 

"Hospitals in Hawaii are struggling to meet the elevated demands placed on them by the increasing number of uninsured people," Akaka said. "DSH payments will help Hawaii hospitals meet the rising health care needs of our communities."

This bill will preserve the access of healthcare for the 6.6 million children currently enrolled in the Children's Health Insurance Program across the United States.  It will also extend health care access to an estimated four million U.S. children in low-income families.

An estimated five percent of children in Hawaii do not have health insurance (approximately 16,000 children). Hawaii has continued to develop innovative programs to increase access to health insurance. The Hawaii State Legislature established the Keiki Care program this year, a public-private partnership intended to make sure that every child in Hawaii has access to health care.                  

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