New Report Analyzes How Children Fare in Candidates' Health ...( WASHINGTON Oct. 21 -- A report(A...),Health

WASHINGTON, Oct. 21 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A report (http://www.firstfocus.net/pages/3519/ ) released today has detailed how children are treated in the health care plans of the presidential candidates, Senators John McCain and Barack Obama. The analysis identifies both opportunities and concerns with the policy changes outlined by both presidential candidates, with an eye toward whether the plans would ensure access to comprehensive and affordable health care for every American child.

The report takes into consideration the unique health care needs of children when analyzing the impacts of tax credits, purchasing private insurance across state lines, covering children through a mandate, and how public programs interact with private sector coverage.

The report concludes the following regarding Senator McCain's plan:

-- The McCain tax credit will weaken families' ability to afford

coverage for children, as it is insufficient to make coverage affordable

and does not keep pace with growth in the cost of health care premiums.

Specifically, the tax credit fails to adjust for family size and the

added cost when children are born or adopted. Therefore, the credit

provides assistance for a significantly smaller share of health care

costs for families with children than for childless households.

-- The 19 million children with special health care needs currently insured

though employer coverage may be barred from insurance due to

pre-existing conditions. Children who need insurance most, those who are

sick today, could be charged much more for insurance, if they are

offered insurance coverage at all.

-- By allowing insurance to be sold across state lines, millions of

children will lose the protection of having guaranteed benefits. In

fact,
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