Health insurance for all U.S. children would be a bargain, study finds

Some things make so much sense they shouldn’t need explaining. Take children’s health insurance. If it leads to better outcomes for kids, their families, their communities and the economy in general, and if it’s been shown to be substantially cheaper than the alternative, isn’t it worth serious consideration?


To most of the world, yes. But to the United States, and to Texas in particular, it’s apparently not a priority. The figures are disturbing.

Among the world’s 30 most developed countries, the United States is nosed out by only Mexico and Turkey for the highest percentage of uninsured — one in seven Americans, for a total of more than 46 million, 8 million of whom are children. Texas leads the nation in uninsured, with 5.5 million. Of these, about 1.5 million are children.

Yet studies have shown that investing in children’s health is a bargain, according to a timely report from Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, “The Economic Impact of Uninsured Children on America,” by Vivian Ho, the institute’s chair in health economics and associate professor of medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, and Marah Short, a senior staff researcher in health economics.

They wrote that research provides “compelling evidence” that coverage of all American children would yield immediate health improvements as well as “long-term returns of greater health and productivity in adulthood.” And the bottom line is that while the “upfront incremental costs” are relatively modest, they will be more than offset by the value gained.

The research showed that a lack of health coverage currently costs about $15,500 per male child and $11,600 per female child in lost “health capital.” Other research suggested that insurance per child through age 18 would cost about $7,500.

We should be paying close attention: On the national front, President Barack Obama and Congress are engaging in the most drastic overhaul of health care in 40 years, in which children’s issues will play a major role.

Here in Texas, we have just witnessed the demise of bipartisan legislation that would have expanded the state’s Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) to cover about 83,000 more Texas children, by including families who currently earn too much to qualify for the program, but still cannot afford private insurance.

It was sensible, cost-effective legislation, especially given that the federal government pays 72 cents of every dollar spent on CHIP, and state funds had already been set aside. But it fell victim to grandstanding from both parties on other issues, which ran out the clock, and to hints of a veto from Gov. Rick Perry were it to survive the session.

That’s just one example of what Obama, in a news conference Tuesday, called the “unsustainable” state of the nation’s health care. “Reform is not a luxury,” he said, “it is a necessity.”

Few would disagree. The trick will be how to effect that reform. Studies such as this one from the Baker Institute can be valuable tools in getting there.

Florida child first in state to die from swine flu

Boston (HealthKnowItAll) - Health officials in the state of Florida have announced that a 9 year old boy is the first victim of swine flu to die in the state.

The boy haled from Miami-Dade County and is one of 417 Floridians to have fallen ill with the virus.

Since the outbreak of swine flu was reported earlier this year, globally more than 28,000 cases have been reported resulting in more than 100 deaths.

The virus originated in Mexico, and it is there where the majority of deaths have been reported.

Drug makers are rushing to develop a vaccine for the flu, but they say it will not be ready for up to 6 months.

Japan lifts ban on child organ transplants

TOKYO (AFP) — Japan's lower house voted to scrap a ban on child organ donations, paving the way for patients aged under 15 to receive life-saving transplants here for the first time.

Current law bans organ transplants by children, a situation which activists say has claimed thousands of lives and forced many families to send children in need of transplants on costly overseas trips for surgery.

Under Japanese law, transplants have been rare even for adults because tough rules require donors to give prior written consent to having their organs harvested when they are brain dead, while their families must also agree.

The amended bill would scrap the age limit and the need for prior consent, unless the person explicitly opposed having their organs used, but it would still require family members of the children to agree.

The bill was approved by 263 to 167 votes and sent to the opposition controlled upper house. If it is rejected in the upper chamber, a two thirds majority in the lower house could turn it into law anyway.

The major political parties had told their legislators to vote according to their conscience. Only the Japanese Communist Party abstained, claiming that deliberations had not been sufficient.

The bill would also recognise patients who are brain dead as legally dead, long a controversial topic in Japan where many religious groups say a person is only deceased once their heart and lungs have stopped.

Japan adopted an Organ Transplant Law in 1997, but since then only 81 transplants have been carried out, compared to several thousand each year in the United States and several hundred annually in Europe.

The long-debated reform plans were fast-tracked this year after the World Health Organization signalled it would ask signatory nations in early 2010 to limit organ transplants to within their national boundaries.

In the move against so-called transplant tourism, which seeks to limit abuses, Australia, Britain and Germany have already announced they will refuse Japanese patients seeking organ transplants.

Rising cost of child care leads more women to work from home

According to the National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (NACCRRA), there are more than 96,000 women in the workforce in Arkansas with children under the age of six. This is more than 63% of mothers in the state. The national numbers are even greater, with more than 9,000,000 mothers of small children currently employed outside the home. This translates to a huge amount of money being paid by these families each year for child care costs.


The average yearly child care cost in Arkansas is between $3,900 and $5,500. The national average is even higher with costs soaring to as much as $15,000 per year. However, these costs, or at least a significant portion of them, could be saved if just one parent could work from home or telecommute. Many companies offer telecommuting options and there are a plethora of legitimate work at home jobs out there. Many women have begun taking advantage of these opportunities and saving their families a bundle in the process.

Have You Joined the Work at Home Revolution?

If you’re one of the many women struggling to balance the cost of child care with other living expenses, there is hope. Legitimate work from home can be found with perseverance, and there are many companies that will allow you to telecommute for some or all of your work hours. If you have a job that would allow for home work, create a telecommuting proposal to present to your employer. Many employers are jumping on the telecommuting bandwagon as it cuts down on overhead costs and generally results in happier, more productive employees.

If your employer won’t allow telecommuting and you continue to struggle to pay for child care, it may be time to look elsewhere for employment. There are many different jobs which can be done from home for pay that rivals the state average income. Virtual assistants, freelance writers and graphic designers, editors, programmers, customer service representatives, and tutors are just some of the positions that can be found for the aspiring work at home mom (or dad). Taking a job with slightly lower pay that allows you to work from home could still be beneficial to your family if you consider the money saved on child care costs, gas, clothing, lunches, etc.

Work at Home Moms: The Future of Motherhood

We live in an age where data transfer and the speed of information exchange gives almost anyone the opportunity to stay at home and earn a living. The number of women who choose to work at home and remain the primary caregivers for their children has raised more than 60 percent from 1975 to 1990 according to the government’s last major population survey. These women do not pay for child care costs and are still able to contribute to, or in some cases provide all of, the family income.

The modern woman seems to want more out of her life and career than corporate jobs can provide. Professional freedoms, flexibility, and fulfillment are what many working mothers are seeking, and as such, they turn to telecommuting or work from home positions in large numbers. Not only does this choice negate the excessive costs of childcare, it also provides a way for her to be available to her family while still earning a salary.

Making it Work for You

Although not all jobs will lend themselves well to staying at home with children, some are extremely flexible. Customer service jobs often require blocks of quiet time in which to work on the phone. Mothers of young children may find this impossible. Women with little experience or technical skills may also feel that they could never work at home, but this just isn’t the case any longer.

Freelance writing from home requires no experience to get started, as well as more entrepreneurial undertakings such as becoming a content publisher or affiliate marketer. More experienced workers can also find suitable jobs which allow them to stay at home with their children, such as becoming a virtual assistant or freelance graphic designer. No matter who you are or what your background may be, in today’s world becoming a stay at home mom is no longer just a dream – it’s a reality, and child care costs may well become a thing of the past.

K-ID-napped

Identity theft is on the increase, according to the Federal Trade Commission, and ever-enterprising identity thieves are spreading their range, finding new fields to sow and new victims to reap. Some of those victims are very new: infants and children. "It's one of the ID theft areas that's growing," says Lyn Chitow-Oakes, chief marketing officer for Trusted ID (www.trustedid.com), based in Redwood City, Calif., south of San Francisco, which offers ID protection services. Chitow-Oakes says the main reason for the increase "is that people are not thinking about it. And there are lots of ways of getting access to children's information. They're easy prey." Children are also easier to prey on because most now get a Social Security number at birth. Experts say you should guard that number as closely as you would protect your own. The Social Security Administration (www.ssa.gov/pubs/10023.html) says getting a Social Security number for a newborn is voluntary, "but it is a good idea." "If your child is born in the United States or is a U.S. citizen born abroad, you need a Social Security number to claim your child as a dependent on your income tax return," the agency Web site explains. "Your child may also need a number if you plan to open a bank account for the child, buy savings bonds for the child, obtain medical coverage for the child or apply for government services for the child."

To ease the process, parents can apply for a Social Security number for their baby when they apply for a birth certificate. "The state agency that issues birth certificates will share your child's information with us and we will mail the Social Security card to you," the Social Security Administration's Web site says.

The agency does recognize the potential for abuse.

"To verify a birth certificate, Social Security will contact the office that issued it. We do this verification to prevent people from using fraudulent birth records to obtain Social Security numbers to establish false identities."

However, the agency can't protect those numbers from people hovering over the cradles, figuratively speaking, waiting to steal them, Chitow-Oakes says.

Thieves use children's Social Security numbers the same way they do those of adults and even the recently deceased - primarily to open lines of credit or for employment fraud.

Chitow-Oakes says some thieves have even used the information in doctors' offices to acquire medical benefits under a false name. That's particularly dangerous where insurance companies place a cap on the dollar amount of benefits, she says. Imagine that the child needs expensive surgery and the parents discover that somebody has been exploiting the account. In many cases, medical records become commingled and trying to separate them becomes a nightmare, she adds.

UNDISCOVERED CRIME

What makes ID theft of children all the more insidious, she says, is that it can take years to uncover.

"If your child's identity is stolen, you may not find out for many years, maybe not until the child is 18 years old and looking to buy his first car or trying to take out a student loan," opening a bank account or applying for a first credit card.

Suddenly it turns up that somebody has rung up thousands of dollars of debt in the victim's name. And straightening out the record can take years.

The Associated Press recently reported that the San Diegobased Identity Theft Resource Center (www.idtheftcenter. org) is trying to help a 3-yearold whose Social Security number is being used by someone for employment purposes and "a 5-year-old whose identity is linked to driver's licenses, arrest warrants for drunken driving and a warrant for unpaid child support."

More than 34,000 reports of identity theft that came in to the Federal Trade Commission from 2005 to 2007 concerned children under age 18, the AP reports, noting that frequently, the thief is a parent or other relative.

That was the case for Randy Waldron Jr. of Revere, Mass., now 27, the AP reports.

Waldron's father allegedly began using his Social Security number in 1982. He didn't find out until 16 years later, when he was applying for college, that his father had run up a total of $22.5 million in debt in his son's name, including myriad accounts from unpaid utility bills to defaulted credit cards and back taxes. There was even an unpaid storage facility rental that had ballooned to a $10,000 debt.

Waldron says it has taken a decade and $30,000 in legal fees to clear his name, and "I am still hounded by credit card companies [and] collection agencies."

Gabe Holmstrom, a spokesman for Arkansas Attorney General Dustin McDaniel, says the attorney general's Consumer Protection Division has received "a couple [of] incidences" of identity theft of children, mostly the work of estranged parents. He said the office gets very few claims involving false credit histories established by outsiders or involving employment fraud.

The office's Web site, www. arkansasag.gov/identity_ theft_more_info.html, offers tips for protection against and how to report identity theft and links to other government agencies' identity theft sites.

UNGUARDED INFORMATION

Chitow-Oakes says ID thieves can also obtain data through school or community sports programs that ask parents for children's Social Security numbers and other identifying information.

Thieves also prey on older children online, as more and more children, teens and college-age adults frequent social networking sites or reveal identifying details in instant messages.

"They pose as people with like interests," she explains. "Maybe they claim to have a pet in common." It only takes a few seemingly innocent questions to obtain "all an identity thief needs."

To defend against online ID predators, she suggests making sure your profile is more private than public; don't share personal information; and, similarly to avoiding predators in the "real" world, don't talk to strangers.

At home, parents should make sure that children's personal information is stored safely, away from the possible prying eyes of caretakers or workers. Only share information that's absolutely necessary.

"The only real need for a Social Security number is to apply for a passport, for taxes or employment," she adds. "Your child normally isn't part of those activities."

For an added layer of protection, ask the three credit reporting agencies - Equifax, (888) 766-0008; Experian, (888) 397-3742; and TransUnion, (800) 680-7289 - for a copy of your child's credit report.

"If the child has a credit report, the child should not have a credit report," she says, because minors are unable to enter into contracts. It's pretty much proof-positive that somebody has stolen your child's identity.

Here are some other tips to protect your child's identity:

Shred all papers that contain account numbers or Social Security numbers before throwing them away.

Store your child's Social Security card in a safe place at home or in a safe-deposit box. Neither you nor your child should carry the card in a wallet.

If you receive a pre-approved credit application or similarly unusual offer in the mail in your child's name, investigate. Some banks may add a child's name to a mailing list if an account has been opened in his name; it could be a red flag that your child's identity has been compromised.

If you do discover a credit report in your child's name, ask to have all accounts, applications and collection notices removed and have a security freeze put on the file. It's free and it will remain on the file until you request it be removed or temporarily lifted.

Ask if adults who work with your child who might have access to sensitive information - such as coaches, scout leaders or other activity leaders - have had a background check. Also be careful when providing documents like birth certificates to activity leaders and ask to be notified if they will be shown to other people.

Child well-being slumps along with US economy: report

WASHINGTON (AFP) — The recession has put US children at greater risk of everything from obesity, as parents substitute cheap fast food for healthy meals; to poverty, as adults lose jobs; to crime and instability, a report has found.

"We are in a period where, at least in economic well-being, we may be back where we were in 1975," Ruby Takanishi, head of the Foundation for Child Development which funded the 2009 Child Well-Being Index, told reporters at the launch of the report Wednesday in Washington.

The index, which uses US government data to assess how American children are doing in areas ranging from health to community-connectedness, shows that the welfare of US children began to decline last year as the country plunged into recession, and projected it would continue its downward slide.

"As the impact of the current recession reverberates through parents' employment and income patterns in families, as people are forced to move, lose their houses or otherwise have severe economic restrictions on what they can do, there will be impacts on child well-being," said Kenneth Land, research coordinator for the index.

Comparing current data with information from past recessions, the report predicts that child well-being will continue to sour until at least 2010, even though, said Land, economists are projecting that the economy will round the corner this year.

"The decline in child well-being will be driven most directly by the decline of material well-being," Land said.

"The number and percentage of children living below the poverty line will go up. The percentage of children living with at least one parent employed full-time, year-round will decline as the impact of job loss is felt," he said.

Median family income was projected to decline as unemployment rises, and single-parent families headed by men would be the hardest hit because more jobs are being cut in sectors like construction, dominated by male workers, than those in which women traditionally work, such as health care and education.

The decrease in family economic well-being would be felt in the short term and long term by children.

"Extreme deprivation and poverty in early childhood ... and persistent poverty really matter in terms of cognitive outcomes and later life economic outcomes," said Greg Acs, a senior fellow at the Urban Institute's Income and Benefits Policy Center.

Another danger faced by American children enduring economic hardship was "recession obesity", said Land.

"There is a concern that parents will substitute fast food, high carbohydrate and high sugar-content food, for healthy food, and that this will cause an uptick in the rate of overweight children and adolescents," he said

Nearly 32 percent of US children are overweight and 16 percent are obese, according to a study published last year in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

With obesity bringing with it a higher risk of developing heart disease, high cholesterol and diabetes, a rise in the rate of obesity would mean a fall in children's overall health, the Index predicted.

To compile the Index, researchers at Duke University analyzed dozens of indicators to to assess how American children are faring today, compare their current situation with the past, and project what they might face in the future.

"Mortality rates for children aged 1-19 in past recessions have picked up a bit and so we anticipate this may occur again," Land said.

"In past recessions, we've seen an upturn in the rate of violent crime among adolescents ... We anticipate this will occur again," he said.

A growing number of youths aged 16 to 19 were found by the researchers to be neither working nor in school, leaving them particularly vulnerable to delinquency and crime, said Land.

A unique aspect of the current recession, the housing crisis, could also add to the disruption brought to American children's lives by the economic downturn.

"Residential mobility typically slows down in recessions, allowing kids to maintain social connections with friends, peers, family and their neighborhood.

"But because this recession started with the housing crisis, there's a lot more loss of homes and mobility will be less reduced," said Land.

Top five tips to help manage your family's health

(ARA) - As kids head to summer camp or back to school this fall, moms everywhere will be digging through their files searching for immunization records and other health information. Some will find exactly what they need with just a few flips through an organized file cabinet. But many busy moms will be sifting through piles, shoe boxes, or drawers full of papers trying to find the most recent health records.

Managing health information, making appointments, keeping track of medications, and monitoring self-care recommendations are just a few of the routine tasks of today's family health advocate, a role often played by mom. In addition to managing their kids' health and their own, many moms are also in charge of managing health matters for their spouse or partner, and sometimes an elderly parent or other relative.

Taking care of yourself and your family can be overwhelming at times. Mayo Clinic suggests five tips for managing your family's health:

1. Ask yourself a few questions.
Take a few minutes to sit down and figure out the questions you'll most likely be asked in the event of an emergency or in common healthcare situations. If your child's school nurse called today and asked for his health history, what details would you be able to provide? If your mother fell in the shower, would you have access to critical information needed by emergency caregivers?

2. Get organized.
It seems that health information is never where you need it, when you need it. An online tool like the Mayo Clinic Health Manager gives you the opportunity to store and update personal health records and those of your family members. This free and secure online application gives you a place to store medical information and receive real-time individualized health guidance and recommendations based on the expertise of the Mayo Clinic. You can give access to family members or your doctor and use the tool no matter where you receive medical care. The Mayo Clinic Health Manager isn't just a place to store and organize your health information, it helps you become more active and engaged in your healthcare.

3. Make doctor visits more efficient.
The time you spend with your doctor is typically brief, but valuable. Take advantage of your time by arriving to the appointment prepared. Before you go, write down any questions you have so you don't forget to ask them. Bring a list of any medications, vitamins and supplements you're taking.

"I truly appreciate when my patients are actively engaged and informed about their health," says Dr. Sidna Tulledge-Scheitel, a primary care physician. "The Mayo Clinic Health Manager can help patients share information more easily with their doctors and manage their own health better between office visits."

4. Know and use your history to be more proactive.
Use the Mayo Clinic Health Manager to track wellness visits and immunizations for you and your family, as well as to gain control of medication schedules and chronic condition symptoms. Sharing this information with your doctor could help determine future treatment.

5. Build your health assets.
Finances, retirement savings and home equity are all viewed as long-term personal management projects, but people don't often see their health the same way. Look at your health as a long-term investment and take steps to quickly address any issues while maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Health Reform that Works for Kids

Congress has set the stage for further steps toward providing affordable coverage for all Americans with the reauthorization of the Children’s Health Insurance Program and significant investments in health care infrastructure in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act in 2009. As the nation’s attention turns to systemic health reform, one challenge will be to ensure that all children enjoy stable, affordable coverage.

Leaders of the push for health reform appear committed to ensuring that all children enjoy the health benefits and enhanced financial security of health coverage. Yet proposals currently under development in Congress will not automatically achieve this goal. Current proposals pay more attention to expanding coverage for uninsured working-age adults than for uninsured children, while delivery system reforms may not necessarily benefit pediatric patients. Congress must ensure that systemic health reforms work for children. Children’s advocates will need to identify and pursue opportunities embedded within health care reform proposals to ensure that all children will have affordable, meaningful coverage that meets their unique needs.

Congress is now weighing new approaches to providing affordable coverage for all Americans. Congressional committees have not yet released initial legislation, but it is already evident from option papers and other materials that the legislation will build on the framework of “shared responsibility,” also embraced by President Barack Obama’s campaign plan. This approach seeks to expand health coverage and reform the health care delivery system through a combination of public insurance program expansions, subsidies for private coverage, restructuring the health insurance market, and investments in delivery system improvements.

How well these reforms will work for children is an open question. Policymakers must carefully consider their choices to ensure that all children can enjoy the benefits of health coverage.