HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson today announced a $781,889 grant to the North Dakota Department of Health to develop plans that would expand access to affordable health insurance coverage for the uninsured.
 
“The grant will help North Dakota identify new ways to expand health care coverage for its residents,” Secretary Thompson said.  “With more than 40 million Americans lacking health insurance, the Bush Administration is pursuing a wide range of initiatives to expand coverage.  North Dakota and other states can play a key role in these efforts by developing creative strategies to help the uninsured.”
 
The grant will allow North Dakota to conduct studies to identify the uninsured population in the states and the reasons that they are uninsured.  These data will then be used to determine the most effective ways of providing the uninsured with high-quality, affordable health insurance.
 
The grant is part of the State Planning Grants Program, administered by HHS’ Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).  In previous years, 31 states and the Virgin Islands have received such planning grants.
 
“We are encouraged with the progress states are making in identifying strategies for increasing access to health insurance coverage,” HRSA Administrator Elizabeth M. Duke said.  “These outcomes will be useful as we consider ways to expand coverage for those in need.”
 
As part of the Bush Administration’s broad strategy to expand access to health care for the uninsured, President Bush’s fiscal year 2004 budget proposal would continue to expand community health centers that care for the uninsured, strengthen and modernize the Medicaid program, offer health tax credits to help individuals obtain insurance, and extend Medicaid and State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) coverage to more Americans who otherwise would go without coverage.
 
More information about the President's initiatives to help the uninsured is available at http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2003pres/20030211.html.  More information about HRSA’s State Planning Grants Program is available at  http://www.hrsa.gov/osp/stateplanning/.