Arkansas Finish Line Coalition urges legislators to pass a tobacco tax increase to pay for extending ARKids First to more families hurt by recession.

LITTLE ROCK – In an effort to cover the 69,000 Arkansas children who don’t have health insurance, children, parents and health advocates rallied on the front steps of the Arkansas State Capitol today to show support for extending ARKids First to more children who need it.

A new Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families (AACF) report released at the rally shows increasing numbers of uninsured children who live in middle-income families. These families earn slightly too much to qualify for ARKids First, but too little to afford private insurance.

“Parents who work for a living should not be forced to choose between health care for their children and other necessities like child care or groceries,” said Elisabeth Wright Burak, health policy director for AACF. “But we know that coverage is getting more expensive or employers are dropping coverage altogether, putting more economic strain on working families. Now more than ever, we need to maintain our commitment to covering all Arkansas children and help pull our state out of the recession.”

Many uninsured, middle-income families would qualify for ARKids First under an expansion proposed by Gov. Mike Beebe to raise the annual income eligibility from 200 percent of the federal poverty level to 250 percent.

State Rep. Gregg Reep of Warren also spoke at the rally in favor of covering more uninsured children. His bill, HB 1204, would increase the state tax on tobacco to reduce smoking rates and raise money for a host of health care priorities in Arkansas, including extending ARKids First, funding substance abuse programs and supporting school health initiatives.

Two families who’ve benefitted from ARKids First coverage spoke at the rally.

Michelle Shope of Poyen said her grandson, Connor, was showing developmental delays at age 3 because of ear problems. ARKids First covered his testing, surgeries and therapy and now he’s ready to enter Kindergarten this fall with the same abilities as his peers. She said that without ARKids First, Conner would have entered school with special needs, increasing the burden not only for him, but for his teachers, caretakers and, ultimately, taxpayers.

Ananda Martin’s children have been covered under ARKids First for the past eight years—including for emergency treatment and surgeries her son Trenton needed after being attacked by a shark off the Gulf Coast. Unfortunately, the Mena family’s ARKids First coverage will expire in a few days because her husband’s new job as a contract worker in the natural gas industry will put their income just over the limit.

The Martins don’t know how they’ll afford private insurance for their three boys during breaks between his contract jobs. With extended ARKids First eligibility, Ananda and her husband hope the family will again qualify for ARKids First and they’ll be able to provide consistent health insurance for their children.

During the rally organized by the Arkansas Finish Line Coalition, children ran a footrace on the Capitol’s front lawn to demonstrate the coalition’s theme of crossing the finish line to covering all children.

“Since Arkansas began ARKids First in 1997, we’ve reduced the number of uninsured children from 21 percent to 9 percent,” Burak said before the race. “With families losing income and insurance during this recession, we need to be more resolved than ever to covering all children. We’re thankful for the leadership Gov. Mike Beebe and legislative leaders have shown so early in the session in keeping their commitment to children.”

To reach the goal, Burak said the coalition is working to enroll all children who are eligible for ARKids First—that’s nearly two thirds of all uninsured children in Arkansas. About 8,000 eligible children have been signed up for ARKids First since the Finish Line Coalition formed last year, Burak said.

The remaining 23,000 uninsured children live in families making too much to qualify for ARKids First, but still can’t afford private insurance. Most would be covered by extending ARKids First income eligibility from 200 percent of the federal poverty level to 300 percent and creating an option for families over 300 percent to buy ARKids First coverage at minimal cost to the state, Burak said.

Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families is a statewide, non-profit child advocacy organization established in 1977. Our mission is to ensure that all children and their families have the resources and opportunities to lead healthy and productive lives and to realize their full potential. On the web at www.aradvocates.org.