Whereas, Medicaid and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) provide health insurance coverage to over 52 million individuals including 25 million children and adolescents,[1] and 

Whereas, Medicaid and SCHIP provide access to essential health care for the low-income children and adolescents who are beneficiaries of these programs and thereby facilitate their use of essential health services and protect their health, and  

Whereas, nearly 5 million children under age 12, more than 3 million adolescents ages 12-17, and nearly 9 million young adults ages 18-24 are without health insurance coverage,[2] and 

Whereas many of these uninsured children, adolescents, and young adults are eligible for but not enrolled in Medicaid or SCHIP, and

Whereas, the ability of Medicaid and SCHIP to meet the needs of all eligible low-income children, adolescents, and young adults is threatened by reductions in funding at the federal and state levels during a time of increased need for the programs, and 

Whereas, cuts in Medicaid and SCHIP that adversely affect beneficiaries have occurred in several states, and

Whereas, reductions in Medicaid and SCHIP disproportionately affect racial and ethnic minority populations thus increasing health disparities, and

Whereas, on February 8, 2006, the President signed the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 (DRA), which includes net reductions in Medicaid of $4.8 billion in federal funds over the next five years and $26.1 billion in federal funds over the next ten years,[3] with the potential for corresponding reductions in expenditure of state matching funds,  and

Whereas, the DRA may result in reducing access to essential health care for low-income children,  adolescents, and young adults by allowing states to increase cost sharing for Medicaid beneficiaries,[4] and to limit the scope of benefits in the Medicaid program, [5] and

Whereas, the American College of Preventive Medicine (ACPM) and the American Medical Association (AMA) have created a National Coalition on Adolescent Health, which focuses on improving the health of adolescents, including young adults, and which recognizes the importance of Medicaid and SCHIP in protecting the health of adolescents and young adults and promoting their access to essential health care, be it therefore

 RESOLVED that the AMA actively encourage state and county medical societies to advocate for initiatives to ensure that all eligible children, adolescents, and young adults are enrolled in Medicaid and SCHIP, and be it further 

RESOLVED that the AMA actively advocate for federal and state funding for Medicaid and SCHIP so that funding is sufficient to support enrollment of and provision of necessary services to all eligible children, adolescents, and young adults, and be it further 

RESOLVED that the AMA actively encourage state and county medical societies to oppose state efforts to increase premiums and other cost sharing measures on Medicaid beneficiaries pursuant to the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005, and be it further 

RESOLVED that the AMA actively encourage state and county medical societies to oppose further limits on the scope of benefits for children, adolescents, and young adults pursuant to the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005.


Relevant AMA Policy

H-290.976 Enhanced SCHIP Enrollment, Outreach, and Reimbursement   

H-290.979 Strategies for Increasing Access and Expanding Health Insurance Coverage

H-290.982 Transforming Medicaid and Long-Term Care and Improving Access to Care for the Uninsured      

D-290.988 Medicaid Funding Cuts