Thirty-five chapters have been awarded grants to support state public affairs activities and projects that focus on advocacy on the Foundation's mission priorities by the March of Dimes National Public Affairs Committee and the Office of Government Affairs (OGA). This year, chapters applied for funding under two categories: (1) Innovative Projects and (2) Consultant Services. Public affairs activities for which grants have been awarded include legislative activities and other lobbying events held at state capitols, recruitment of youth to public affairs, and forums at which advocacy briefings are given.
March of Dimes Forms Coalition to Support New Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities
The Office of Government Affairs has established a coalition of Washington-based organizations to support the new Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The purpose of the group is to keep abreast of CDC implementation activities, enlist support for activities such as congressional briefings, and collaborate on advocating for increased appropriations.
"The Center’s creation has been a long held goal of the March of Dimes," said Foundation President Dr. Jennifer L. Howse. "Forming the coalition will allow the Foundation to work closely with key Washington-based organizations to ensure that this new Center is successful."
S-CHIP Enrollment Increases 70 Percent over 1999 Level
More than 3.3 Million Children Enrolled
Former President Clinton released new state-reported data showing that at least 3.3 million children are now enrolled in the State Children’s Health Program (S-CHIP). The data reflects a 70 percent increase over the 1999 enrollment levels, a significant step toward achieving the original program goal of covering five million uninsured children.
In addition, the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) issued a set of regulations that promote outreach by allowing states to use information on school lunch applications to find uninsured children, and to immediately enroll them in Medicaid and S-CHIP at schools, child care referral centers and other convenient sites while their applications are processed. The new regulations also modify federal requirements to make it easier for states to subsidize children in private, employer-based insurance with S-CHIP assistance.
OGA Launches State Policy Study on NICU Levels
Recent changes in several states to modify policies regarding neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) levels has prompted the Office of Government Affairs to approve funding for a study of related state policies.
The study will examine how the range of NICU levels is defined and the effect these definitions may have on access to care, and whether deliveries occur at the most appropriate site. In particular, the study will explore the experiences of some states’ addition of a fourth level of care between Levels II and III. It will include an extended literature review and interviews with experts.
The study will be conducted by Dr. Ellen R. Shaffer who recently received her Ph.D. from the Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health. A preliminary version of Shaffer’s doctoral thesis, "Competition and Neonatal Intensive Care in California, 1986-1997," received a Pre and Post Doctoral Poster Award at the annual meeting of the Association for Health Services Research in June 2000.
Expected to be completed later this year, the study is being funded through the Foundation’s General Request for Public Policy Research Proposals.
Children of Women Vietnam Vets to Receive New Benefits
Act Expands Original Program for Spina Bifida
Signed into law on Nov.1, the "Veterans Benefits and Health Care Improvement Act of 2000" (P.L. 106-419) makes new benefits available to children with birth defects who are born to women Vietnam War veterans. The benefits will be administered through the Veterans Health Administration.
The Act builds on earlier legislation that established a program providing benefits to the children of veterans born with spina bifida, adding benefits for other birth defects caused by service in the Vietnam War. These benefits will be funded as an entitlement and therefore are not subject to annual appropriations.
"Expanding the availability of benefits currently offered to children of female veterans suffering from spina bifida to other birth defects caused by service in the Vietnam War will dramatically improve the lives of these veterans and their disabled children," said Marina L. Weiss, senior vice president Public Policy & Government Affairs, March of Dimes Office of Government Affairs in a Jan. 5 letter to the bill’s authors, Sen. John Rockefeller IV (D-WV) and Representative Bob Stump (R-AZ).
Benefits will be available to children with birth defects associated with the service of veterans in the Republic of Vietnam during the Vietnam War. A "child" is defined as an individual, regardless of age or marital status, who is a natural child of a Vietnam veteran and was conceived after the date on which that veteran entered Vietnam during the War. Benefit payments are scheduled to begin in December, and consist of: (1) a "monetary allowance" based on the child’s level of disability ranging from $100 a month to $1,272 a month; (2) health care related to the child’s covered birth defect; and (3) vocational training.
New Deputy Director of Federal Affairs
The March of Dimes Office of Government Affairs has named Curt Kelley as deputy director of Federal Affairs. This new position at OGA will focus on Medicaid and S-CHIP at both the federal and state levels. Prior to joining the Foundation, Kelley worked as a consultant for the National Association for Family-Based Services, a nonprofit organization representing all aspects of child welfare that is located in Washington, DC. Mr. Kelley also served as legislative director of The HMO Group, an alliance of nonprofit HMOs, and as a legislative representative in the Washington office of HIP Health Plans. Kelley has extensive experience working on Capitol Hill first for the Senate Committee on Finance and then for Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan (D-NY). Mr. Kelley graduated from The Catholic University of America in 1984.
Call for Members: National Birth Defects Prevention Network
Are you interested in learning the latest on monitoring of birth defects and developmental disabilities?
The National Birth Defects Prevention Network (NBDPN) is currently recruiting new members to join a group of individuals involved in birth defects surveillance, research and prevention. NBDPN was established to maintain a national network of state and population-based programs for birth defects surveillance and research to assess the impact of birth defects on children and families; to identify primary prevention strategies; and to assist families and providers.
To learn more about joining the, please visit the NBDPN web site at http://www.nbdpn.org.
U.S. Congress Names Appropriators for 107th
In order to effectively implement the provisions of the "Children’s Health Act of 2000," that call for the establishment of the Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, it will be necessary to obtain additional federal funding. Support from Members of the House of Representatives and Senate Appropriations Committees, especially the subcommittees on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education will be critical to the success of this effort. Included below is a list of members who sit on these subcommittees. The Office of Government Affairs will be seeking the assistance of chapters in these states.
HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE ON LABOR, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, AND EDUCATION
| Republicans |
Democrats |
| Rep. Ralph Regula (OH), Chairman |
Rep. David R. Obey (WI), Ranking Member |
| Rep. C.W. Bill Young (FL) |
Rep. Steny H. Hoyer (MD) |
| Rep. Ernest J. Istook, Jr. (OK) |
Rep. Nancy Pelosi (CA) |
| Rep. Dan Miller (FL) |
Rep. Nita M. Lowey (NY) |
| Rep. Roger F. Wicker (MS) |
Rep. Rosa DeLauro (CT) |
| Rep. Anne Northup (KY) |
Rep. Jesse L. Jackson, Jr. (IL) |
| Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham (CA) |
|
| Rep. Kay Granger (TX) |
|
| Rep. John Peterson (PA) |
|
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE ON LABOR, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, AND EDUCATION
| Republicans |
Democrats |
| Sen. Arlen Specter (PA), Chairman |
Sen. Tom Harkin (IA), Ranking Member |
| Sen. Thad Cochran (MS) |
Sen. Ernest Hollings (SC) |
| Sen. Judd Gregg (NH) |
Sen. Daniel Inouye (HI) |
| Sen. Larry Craig (ID) |
Sen. Harry Reid (NV) |
| Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (TX) |
Sen. Herb Kohl (WI) |
| Sen. Ted Stevens (AK) |
Sen. Patty Murray (WA) |
| Sen. Mike DeWine (OH) |
Sen. Mary Landrieu (LA) |
