Comments Needed

In order to provide better prenatal care for pregnant women, the Bush administration has proposed new guidelines that would "allow states to provide health care insurance coverage under the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) to pregnant women for their children who are not yet born." These new guidelines would allow states to provide coverage to children from conception to age 19.

These guidelines are good for two reasons: 1.) Poor women will be able to receive important prenatal care services which increase the chances of children being born healthy. 2.) Unborn children will be recognized by government as children. This regulation cannot overturn Roe v. Wade, but it can help some unborn children and their mothers by providing health care.

The government allows ninety days for citizens to comment on this proposed policy. Please act now to take advantage of this public comment period, which will end on May 6, 2002, at 5 p.m.
Comments will only be accepted via mail or hand delivery. Any comment should refer to file code CMS-2127-P when referring to the changing of the term "child" to include unborn children.

Mail one original and three copies of your comments in the same envelope to:

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
Department of Health and Human Services
Attention: CMS-2127-P
P.O. Box 8016
Baltimore, MD 21244-8016

Sample Message: I support the Bush Administration's proposal to include unborn children in the State Children's Health Insurance Program. All women should be able to receive important prenatal care services which increase the chances of children being born healthy. This is a benefit not only for unborn children, but for women and families, too.

The proposed regulations are on the Internet at this address:
www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fedreg/a020305c.html under the proposed rules for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

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