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F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T
SPONSOR Cote
ORIGINAL DATE
LAST UPDATED
1-18-2007
HJM 5
SHORT TITLE FULL FEDERAL FUNDING OF MEDICAID
SB
ANALYST Dearing
APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)
Appropriation
Recurring
or Non-Rec
Fund
Affected
FY07
FY08
NFI
*Please see narrative
(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)
SOURCES OF INFORMATION
LFC Files, Veterans’ Services Department, Veteran’s Administration, Library of Congress.
Responses Received From
Veterans’ Services Department (VA)
SUMMARY
Synopsis of Bill
House Joint Memorial 5 urges Congress to fund all costs of medical care and attendant services
for children of Vietnam veterans affected with level-III cases of Spina Bifida. Under Public Law
104-204, the 104
th
Congress acknowledged the correlation of Spina Bifida in children of parents
exposed to Agent Orange in Vietnam
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS
House Joint Memorial 5 has no fiscal implications at the state level.
SIGNIFICANT ISSUES
In addition to acknowledging the relation of exposure to herbicide and Spina Bifida in the
subsequent generation, the law authorized lifetime health services and disability payments paid
monthly for these children. Health issues independent of Spina Bifida do not qualify for health
services benefits under the federal legislation. Children affected with level-III Spina Bifida and
recognized by the United States department of Veterans’ Affairs number approximately two-
pg_0002
House Joint Memorial 5 – Page
2
hundred (200). Level-III sufferers have significant medical costs exceeding monthly federal
disability stipends and many require hospice or attendant health-care services, appliances, and
other treatments not covered under the current law.
Enactment of House Joint Memorial 5 would urge policymakers at the federal level to expand
total benefits to a small, sub-set of already acknowledged and recognized disabled children of
those exposed to the herbicide Agent Orange while serving in Vietnam.
ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS
If enacted, copies of House Joint Memorial 5 need to be distributed to the New Mexico
congressional delegation, the chief clerks of the U.S. House and Senate, and to the U. S.
department of Veterans’ Affairs.
PD/mt