The President and Vice President strongly believe we should expand access to affordable health care coverage to more Americans. The President's budget proposes a 10-year, $110 billion initiative that would expand coverage to at least 5 million uninsured Americans and expand access to millions more.

It addresses the nation's coverage challenges by building on and complementing current private and public programs.

Specifically, the initiative:

Provides a new, affordable health insurance option for families called "FamilyCare," which builds on the State Children's Health Insurance Program to provide higher Federal matching payments to parents of children eligible for or enrolled in Medicaid or S-CHIP.

Accelerates enrollment of uninsured children eligible for Medicaid and S-CHIP;

Expands health insurance options for Americans facing unique barriers to coverage, including:

• a Medicare buy-in with a new 25 percent tax credit;
• a new 25 percent tax credit for COBRA continuation coverage;
• an initiative to help small businesses afford insurance, and new Medicaid options for vulnerable groups of Americans (people ages 19 and 20; people leaving welfare for work; legal immigrants);

And strengthens programs that provide health care directly to the uninsured. If enacted, this would be the largest investment in health coverage since Medicare was created in 1965.