Sacramento Head Start Alumni Association

IMPORTANT VICTORY FOR CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES IN SENATE COMMI

Jul 13, 2002

The Senate Finance Committee on July 11th unanimously approved The
Family Opportunity Act of 2002 (S. 321), which is part of the health
title of the Act to Leave No Child Behind (S. 940). The bill would
give
states the option to allow families with incomes up to 250 percent of
poverty to purchase comprehensive Medicaid coverage for their disabled
children. For many of these children, comprehensive health services
are
otherwise unavailable through employment-based coverage or the
Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). The Family Opportunity Act
will allow parents of disabled children to purchase Medicaid on a
sliding-fee scale. Committee approval of S. 321, sponsored by Senators
Charles Grassley (R-IA) and Edward Kennedy (D-MA) is significant step
toward passage of this critical legislation by the Congress and
represents a significant victory on behalf of disabled children in need
of comprehensive health services.