By April M. Washington

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An advocacy group's collection of stories about gaps in health care for immigrant children features one told by Maria Zubia, of Commerce City.

A health care worker, Zubia recounted what happened to the 15-year-old son of an immigrant mother.

The teen, who suffered from cerebral palsy, was removed from Medicaid shortly after Congress passed a law in 1996 requiring immigrant children to be in the country lawfully at least five years to receive health care benefits, she said.

"By the time he was eligible for coverage, he had already passed the point where he could benefit from therapies that help cerebral palsy patients with movement and speech," she said.

Zubia, who works at Community Health Services of Colorado, a school-based children's health clinic, is featured in a report titled Bar to a Healthy Future: Stories of Immigrant Children Left Behind. It was compiled by the Colorado Progressive Coalition, a watchdog group, and 16 other organizations from across the country.

The coalition and other groups Thursday called on the state's congressional delegation to support expanding health care and ending the five-year rule for uninsured immigrant children and pregnant mothers.

It comes as Congress debates a bill to reauthorize the State Children Health Insurance Program, SCHIP for short, which covers low-income children and pregnant women.

State Sen. David Schultheis, R-Colorado Springs, argues that people who just arrive in the country should not rely on taxpayers to pay for their health care needs.

"There are U.S. citizens who can't get certain welfare benefits and yet they want to lift the ban for people newly coming into our country," he said.

U.S. Rep. Diane DeGette, D-Denver, is a key broker in the legislation and is pushing an amendment to expand health care coverage for thousands of uninsured immigrant children and pregnant women. She argues that many seek emergency care at public hospitals, costing taxpayers far more than simply providing preventive care.

"If we expand it to cover the children of the working poor, it would be more cost effective. It would also be more humane," DeGette said.

Congress allocated $5.65 billion for SCHIP for fiscal year 2007. DeGette is among those in Congress who want to increase the program by $50 billion.

What is SCHIP?

* A federally funded health care plan for low-to-moderate income children and pregnant woman.

* Immigrant children and pregnant women must be in the U.S. at least five years to qualify under federal law.

* For fiscal 2006-07, the state earmarked $93.3 million for the program.

* As of April 30, the program covered 56,216 children and 1,361 pregnant women.Source: Colorado Department Of Health Care Policy And Financing

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