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As advocates for children, we have a responsibility and an opportunity to advocate on behalf of issues affecting children and families in Florida.

Miami Children's Hospital is at the forefront of important legislative issues that may affect children, including:

Federal Legislative Package

Critical MCH Issues:

• Brain Institute: RECEIVE $3 million in federal funding for the Miami Children's Hospital Brain Institute. Last year Miami Children's Hospital received $1.75 million in federal funding toward the Brain Institute.
• Medicaid Reform Proposal: OPPOSE any changes to the federal portion of the Medicaid program, including any efforts at block grants of the federal share and any Florida 1115 waivers that could result in detrimental changes in eligibility and benefits for Florida's Medicaid beneficiaries. PPPOSE budget efforts to reduce federal funding for Medicaid. 
  Let Congress Know that Medicaid Matters to Children's Hospitals by following this link:  http://capwiz.com/nach/issues/alert/?alertid=7194006&type=TA
• Children's Hospital Graduate Medical Education (CHGME): SUPPORT efforts by the National Association of Children's Hospitals and Related Institutions (NACHRI) to reauthorize the CHGME program, created by Congress in 1999, for another 5 years. SUPPORT FY 2005 full funding of the CHGME program that provides at least inflation adjustment above the $303 million included in the FY 2004 Omnibus Appropriations Bill approved in November 2003.
• State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP):SUPPORT congressional reauthorization of the SCHIP program in FY 2005.

Issues to be Monitored:

• 501 (c) (3) Review: OPPOSE legislation to phase out or eliminate existing tax-exempt status for some health care institutions. EDUCATE members of our Congressional delegation as to the charitable care Miami Children's Hospital provides to the community and the State of Florida.
• Hospital Billing Practices: OPPOSE any legislation that establishes a "universal standard" relative to federal pricing. EDUCATE members of our Congressional delegation as to the care Miami Children's Hospital provides for uninsured and underinsured children of our community.
• Medical Liability: SUPPORT legislation that would limit medical malpractice awards with provisions that improve patient safety.
  

State Legislative Package

Critical MCH Issues:

• Medicaid Reform Proposal: OPPOSE any changes to the Florida Medicaid program that result in the capping of needed health care benefits for children, jeopardizes access to critical health care services for children and their families, and fails to address the underlying causes of health care cost increases, such as the high cost of prescription drugs, increased demand for long term care and the large number of working uninsured.
• Pediatric Subspecialist Increase: REAUTHORIZE the reimbursement increase to pediatric subspecialists that the legislature authorized at the end of the 2004 legislative session and ensure that the increase is reoccurring.
• Disproportionate Share Funding (DSH): INCREASE State Medicaid Disproportionate Share (DSH) funding and OPPOSE any increase use of managed care to adversely impact federal and state resources available for the Upper Payment Limit (UPL) program. Currently, Miami Children's Hospital receives $5.4 million from the UPL program.
• Trauma Funding: MAINTAIN the State Trauma Network appropriation of $700,000 annually and PARTICIPATE in the efforts of the Alliance to Save Florida's Trauma Care to acquire a long-term funding solution to the statewide trauma issue.
• Brain Institute: RECEIVE $2 million in State Special Project funding for the Miami Children's Hospital Brain Institute. Last year Miami Children's Hospital received $1.75 million in federal funding toward the Brain Institute.

Issues to be Monitored:

• Nursing Issues: SUPPORT increased funding for nurse faculty at state colleges and universities to increase capacity in state nursing programs. OPPOSE any legislation imposing a mandatory nurse-staffing ratio for hospitals.
• Amendments 7 & 8: SUPPORT legislative limitations of the negative impact of these amendments on the hospital industry.
• KidCare: SUPPORT legislation to return the Health Kids program to a yearlong open enrollment. FULLY FUND the marketing and out reach efforts of the Florida Healthy Kids Corporation.
• Managed Care/Insurance: OPPOSE any attempts at statutory price fixing limiting reimbursement to hospitals providing emergency services and care to out-of-network subscribers.
• Child Safety: SUPPORT legislation that imposes a mandatory requirement that an age appropriate child restraint device (booster seat plus seat belt) be used for children ages 4-8 while riding in cars to close the gap in existing child safety law. SUPPORT legislation which treats the failure to wear seat belts as a primary offense. SUPPORT legislation providing governments with the local option of prohibiting children from riding in the back of pickup trucks.

For further information on any of these issues, send an email to Esteban Bovo, Director of Public Policy and External Affairs, at advocacy@mch.com or call 305-666-6511 ext. 8307.

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