Addressing the Uninsured: A National Priority

July 7, 2000

Since the demise of President Clinton's national health plan, Congress has focused much of its reform efforts on those people fortunate enough to have access to health insurance (e.g., passing health insurance portability reforms and debating managed care regulation). Meanwhile, despite a robust economy, low unemployment rates, and state-level health insurance reform efforts, the number of Americans without health coverage has grown to over 43 million.

The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association and Blue Plans across the country have long supported public and private initiatives to expand health coverage to more Americans. Many Blue Plans have created Caring Programs to make available free health coverage to low-income children and have initiated a variety of other programs to help the uninsured. In addition, the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association recently joined the White House, other federal officials and children's advocates to launch a national outreach program promoting the new Children's Health Insurance Program (CHI P).

But with the number of uninsured continuing to rise, the Blues recognize the need for additional action. Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans have taken their commitment to the uninsured a step further by creating a two-part program to address this challenging public policy problem.

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