Davis Seeks Clinton’s Help to Save $590 Million Reclaimed by Washington

Hoping to save $590 million in federal health care money for California, Gov. Gray Davis has written his Democratic colleague President Clinton for support.

Because California failed to use much of the federal money earmarked for the state’s Healthy Families program for children without health insurance during the last two years, the funds are set to return to Washington.

But the Legislature has come up with a plan to use the money by expanding the program to cover parents of uninsured children, and now Davis, who announced his backing of the plan earlier this month, is asking Clinton for help in keeping the money.

“It is imperative that California retains access” to the money while it formally applies for a waiver to change its program, Davis wrote Clinton.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein has already been working on the issue, organizing a group of her colleagues in Congress to seek an extension. In addition to writing Clinton, Davis wrote a letter thanking Feinstein.

The Healthy Families program, which is paid for with federal and state money, provides health coverage to 340,000 children--far short of the number lawmakers had originally hoped for. California has about 7.5 million uninsured residents, the most in the nation.

Davis, Assembly Speaker Bob Hertzberg (D-Sherman Oaks) and Senate President Pro Tem John Burton (D-San Francisco) are hoping that by offering to cover parents, they will be able to reach more children.