"The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is profoundly disappointed with the U.S. House of Representatives for its decision to strip a provision designed to increase federal Medicaid funding to states from the American Jobs, Closing Tax Loopholes and Preventing Outsourcing Act (HR 4213). The bill was passed by the House this afternoon without the federal medical assistance percentages (FMAP) extension by a vote of 215-204.

"Contained in this legislation was a six-month extension of emergency federal Medicaid funding, which would have provided much-needed fiscal relief to states as they work to recover from the impacts of the recent economic recession. This FMAP extension would have supplemented the $87 billion provided for state Medicaid programs through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

"The U.S. House of Representatives did not do right by children today. FMAP is a children's issue; more than 50 percent of Medicaid recipients are children. In addition, rules in the new health reform law give states only one option when their Medicaid numbers don't add up: slashing payments for medically necessary services. Combined with a recent Office of Inspector General report that shows three out of four children in Medicaid are already missing important screenings, the House's failure to address this emergency means children are again bearing the brunt of the worst recession in US history.

"The Academy encourages the Senate to do the right thing when it returns from Memorial Day recess and address FMAP in its companion legislation. We must work to ensure that states can continue providing millions of children and families with access to high-quality, affordable health care through vital public programs."

The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 60,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults. For more information, visit www.aap.org.