THIS IS THE DAILY BRIEFING FROM THE WHITE HOUSE TO ITS OFFICIALS AND OTHER SUPPORTERS OF ITS HEALTH-REFORM PROGRAM. IT PROVIDES AN INSIDE LOOK AT HOW THE ADMINISTRATION IS PROMOTING ITS PLAN. THIS ITEM WILL ALWAYS HAVE THE SAME SUBJECT LINE (WITH DIFFERENT DATES) SO YOU CAN EASILY SKIP IT IF YOU DO NOT WISH TO READ IT.] The White House Health Care Reform Today November 17, 1993 * Good news from American Academy of Pediatrics. At a hearing of the Senate Labor Committee the Academy released a report card on health care reform and rated the various legislative proposals. President Clinton's Health Security Act was the only proposal to receive positive marks in all categories. Those categories included guaranteed coverage, comprehensive benefits, promoting healthy lifestyles and insurance market reforms. * Their written release said: "Providing all children and adolescents access to health care should be the foundation upon which meaningful health care reform will be built. Because health care reform for children is really about giving children a chance to reach their potential in life. The 47,000 pediatricians at the American Academy of Pediatrics earnestly look forward to working with the President and this committee as health reform moves through the legislative process." * The Health Security Act includes two new grant programs: one to support school health education programs, and a second to help fund school health services. Under the Health Security Act, $50 million per year will go to support the planning and implementation of comprehensive school health education programs for children in kindergarten through grade 12. * The President's plan also provides $100 million to fund school health services including preventive health services, mental health and social service counseling, substance abuse counseling, care coordination and outreach, management of simple illnesses and injuries and referral and follow-up for more serious conditions. These funds will be targeted to adolescents and communities most in need of support. * Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell said yesterday that insurance companies have "...fueled the explosion in health care costs by raising premiums whenever the government tried to rein in medical payments." Speaking at the American Council of Life Insurance's annual meeting, Senator Mitchell said: "The more government cuts health expenditures, the more private providers raise their rates." And as a result, "...wages stagnate because of cost shifting." (Reuters)