IV

103D CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. CON. RES. 126

Expressing the sense of the Congress that the special health care needs

of children should be addressed in any health care reform legislation.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

JULY 22, 1993

Mr. CLEMENT (for himself, Mr. ACKERMAN, Mr. CRAMER, Mr. FILNER, Ms.

EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas, Mr. KLECZKA, Mr. MCKINNEY, Mr.

PETERSON of Minnesota, Mr. POMEROY, and Mr. SHARP) submitted the

following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on

Energy and Commerce

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Expressing the sense of the Congress that the special health

care needs of children should be addressed in any health

care reform legislation.

Whereas 1 in 4 Americans is a child, and 1 in 4 children live

below the Federal poverty level;

Whereas 15 percent of the children who live below the Federal poverty level have no regular source of health care,

and a significant number of the children who do have a

regular source of care depend on institutional settings,

such as hospital emergency rooms, for their health care;

Whereas low-income children are more susceptible to illnesses

than their peers and, when they get sick, their conditions
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are more severe and require more care than children in

higher income families;

Whereas low-income children are less likely to receive physical

examinations, vision testing, immunizations, and other

preventive care;

Whereas every dollar spent on preventive care and early

intervention can save $4.75 in costs associated with remedial education, welfare, and crime;

Whereas every dollar spent on immunizations saves more

than $10 in costs associated with treating the disease;

Whereas 12,400,000 children in the United States are not

covered by health insurance, and millions more are inadequately covered;

Whereas the benefits offered by most health insurance plans

that cover children are designed for adult health care

needs and patterns of use rather than the health care

needs and patterns of use exhibited by children, which

are different from those exhibited by adults;

Whereas 1 in 5 children in America live in an urban or rural

area that is medically underserved;

Whereas universal entitlement to health care will not automatically provide preventive services to children or assure

them access to health care;

Whereas the need for pediatricians and general practitioners

exceeds the supply, and the payment systems currently in

use discourage physicians from entering these practice

areas; and

Whereas our children are our future and, if we fail to protect

their health, the future of our Nation will be at risk:

Now, therefore, be it
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1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate

2 concurring), That it is the sense of Congress that any leg3 islation enacted to reform the health care delivery system

4 of the United States should address the health care needs

5 of children, including the following:

6 (1) The special health care needs of children,

7 and their different patterns of using health care

8 services.

9 (2) The need to emphasize preventive care.

10 (3) The uninsured status of many children, and

11 the inadequacy of the health insurance covering

12 many others.

13 (4) The lack of access to health care services

14 even when health insurance is available.

15 (5) The lack of incentives for physicians to

16 enter practice areas that serve children.

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