§657p Outreach Regarding Health Insurance Options Available to Children

Summary

Creates a task force to run a nationwide education campaign for small businesses about how to get health coverage for children. The task force is made up of the head of the Small Business Administration and the Secretaries of Health and Human Services, Labor, and the Treasury. The campaign must teach owners and employees why child health coverage matters, show private and public options to make insurance more affordable (including federal and state tax breaks and tax-free employer plans under section 125), explain help available through public programs, and point people to the Insure Kids Now hotline. The task force can work with SBA partners (like small business development centers, certified development companies, women’s business centers, and the Service Corps of Retired Executives), make agreements with chambers of commerce and other partners, and coordinate SBA and HHS regional offices. The SBA must put clear links on its website to each State’s Medicaid and CHIP eligibility and enrollment pages. The SBA head must report to the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship and the House Committee on Small Business not later than 2 years after February 4, 2009, and every 2 years after that, updating on the campaign. Definitions (one line each): Administration — Small Business Administration; Administrator — its head; certified development company — a development company in the SBA program; Medicaid program — health program under title XIX; Service Corps of Retired Executives — retired executives program; small business concern — a small business as defined elsewhere; small business development center — an SBA-described center; State — meaning used for CHIP; State Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) — program under title XXI; task force — the group created; women’s business center — an SBA-described center.