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John Burbank
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Dear John- - tab. 25, 1998 Thanks So much fn your vision and assistance - Pangers has made a very substantial Commitivent to alleviating these Problems the First Lody addesses (over) in the enclosed Column. we are Srateful En your insight and generosity they'll make a big Eifference in the lives of American families. Keep in touch ad let he knw of 1 even can be of help to you Best Probbie rejands, OVER By, Hillary Rodham Clintona No excuse for children to get no health care hink about the children the forms, these laws will never T you know or come in con- fulfill their promise. tact with every day. Do Last week, the president an- any of them have parents nounced a series of initiatives who work but cannot afford that will help. First, he ordered health insurance? Do any of them federal agencies to develop a na- qualify for Medicaid but, for tional outreach program - dis- whatever reason, don't receive it? tributing information, coordinat- Last week, I met just such a ing toll-free numbers and family. Linda Havemann is a full- simplifying the application pro- time homemaker in Williams- cess. burg. Her husband, Tom, has a To complement this effort, be good job working as a mechanic also described some extraordi- for a construction company, but nary contributions from the pri- they cannot afford health insur- vate sector. Within a month, Bell ance for their sons, Raymond, 6; Atlantic will have up and running Michael, 3; and Andrew, 18 a toll-free number to help states months. The two youngest have enroll uninsured children. Safe- suffered with ear infections since way will print the number on all birth, but they've never had reg- its shopping bags, and chain ular doctor's visits because they drugstores will provide it to their don't have insurance. customers. I'm sure every parent can re- The Robert Wood Johnson member feeling panicked and Foundation and the Kaiser Family helpless sitting up with a sick Foundation together will spend child. I can. Imagine how you $23 million to research, design would feel if, when your child had and fund outreach initiatives, and a temperature or an ear infection, Pampers will offer information you couldn't call a doctor. about available health insurance This is what Linda and Tom options in its childbirth-education had to live with until a Salvation packages, which are given to 90 Army social worker informed percent of first-time mothers. them that Michael and Andrew This administration is commit- were eligible for Medicaid. When ted to making sure that every the Havemanns finally took the American has access to adequate boys to the doctor, they found that and affordable health care. In Andrew had already lost 20 per- 1996, the president signed a law cent of his hearing and that his that keeps an estimated 25 mil- speech was delayed. Two weeks lion Americans from losing their ago, after surgery to insert tubes insurance if they change jobs, are in his ears, he said his first self-employed or have pre- words: "Mama," "Dada," "bub- existing medical conditions. ble" and "shoe." And just last week, he signed a That's the good news, but the directive ensuring that everyone bad news is that 6-year-old Ray- covered by a federal health plan The Washington Times THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 1998 mond is too old to qualify for Vir- - fully a third of all Americans ginia's Medicaid program. In an - will be protected by a Patient's effort to help states extend health Bill of Rights. And he announced coverage to 5 million children in a new initiative to eliminate, by Raymond's shoes, last year's the year 2010, the disturbing dis- balanced-budget agreement in- parities in infant mortality, diabe- cluded a $24 billion initiative. tes, cancer testing and treatment, Called the Children's Health heart disease, AIDS and immuni- Insurance Program, or CHIP, this zation among various ethnic and program targets children of racial groups in this country. working families who do not qual- But no goal is more important ify for Medicaid. than providing adequate medical There is no excuse in this care to our youngest and most country for children to go without vulnerable citizens. Everyone can proper medical care. And yet, 10 help. Besides social workers, we million American children - need doctors and nurses to in- that's one in seven - do. Three form parents about programs million of these, like-Michael and available for their kids. In addi- Andrew, are eligible for Medicaid, tion, teachers, guidance counsel- but for a variety of reasons, their ors and coaches, neighbors and parents don't enroll them. Some friends, camp counselors and don't know they qualify. Some mentors, tutors and members of can't deal with the complex en- the clergy - everyone in the "vi]- roilment forms. Others are sim- lage" - can be on the lookout for ply ashamed to ask for help. children in need. We must do everything we can The health and well-being of to find and enroll those kids who our children is everybody's con- are eligible for Medicaid or cern. If we work together, our ef- CHIP. We can pass all the laws forts will help ensure that Amer- we want, but if parents don't ica's children get the healthy start know their children are eligible, they need to live long and produc, or if they can't or won't fill out tive lives: Procter&Gamble The Procter & Gamble Distributing Company General Offices I Procter & Gamble Plaza, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202-3315 February 12, 1998 Bobbie Greene Office of the First Lady Room 100 Old Executive Office Bldgs. Washington, DC 20500 Bobbie: Enclosed is an example of our childbirth education package. This package is distributed to more than 2.5 million mothers (90%+ of first time mothers) through a network of more than 14,000 childbirth educators. Please note the enclosed booklet which has the participation of the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Sincerely, ARBUND John R. Burbank Assistant Brand Manager, Pampers JRB/kac