CA - Don't Bury Our Children in Paperwork!

Dear CA MomsRising.org member,

Paperwork a new hazard to California's children? Unfortunately, it could be. In an effort to cut the budget, legislators are considering a truly twisted tactic right now: Cutting eligible kids off healthcare coverage by increasing red tape. The result -- more than 471,000 children could lose their health insurance.[1]

Although the proposal is supposed to help balance the state budget (by providing less coverage) the cost is too great.

Our legislators need to hear from you before this fiscal folly is set in stone. Click here and take one minute to tell legislators "Increase healthcare coverage for kids, not red-tape!"

http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/1768/t/6180/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=25014

THE LOW-DOWN - Under the proposed changes, families receiving Medi-Cal would be required to fill out paperwork to renew their healthcare coverage every six months rather than every year. Similar reporting requirements in Texas and Washington have had disastrous results -- large increases in administrative costs, many children dropped from coverage, and worse than expected outcomes for children's health. Both states ended these dangerous experiments and returned to requiring annual reports, as California now does.[2]

Our state's most vulnerable families and children will be impacted the most by these requirements. Parents who have low reading levels or multiple jobs often do not have the time or skills to complete the paperwork even though they are eligible. As a result, many children will lose their insurance, resulting in costly and dangerous gaps in coverage.

We understand that California is facing a large budget shortfall. However, cutting healthcare coverage for kids - by increasing red tape and administrative costs - is definitely not the answer!

Contact your legislators today:

http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/1768/t/6180/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=25014

After you send letters to your legislators, please forward this email to others. We need to generate as many letters as possible so our legislators know that California's families will not stand for such short-sighted and fiscally irresponsible policy.

Thanks for all your work on behalf of California's children!

Donna, Ashley, Kristin and the MomsRising.org Team

P.S. Support MomsRising.org's efforts to secure healthcare coverage for all kids in California. Your donation -- of any amount -- makes a difference. Click here to donate:

https://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/1768/t/5365/shop/custom.jsp?donate_page_KEY=3725

P.P.S. To see photos and a report from last week's fabulous delivery of compasses and your messages to CA legislators see: http://www.momsrising.org/node/923

[1, 2] 100% Campaign, Semi Annual Reporting: As Harmful to Children as Quarterly Reporting, June, 2008, http://www.100percentcampaign.org/resources/factsheets/fs-080603.htm