Governors Up Pressure On Kids Health Bill

Support For SCHIP Comes From All Corners, But President Says Proposed $35B-50B Increase Is Too Much

(CBS/AP)  The nation's governors stepped up pressure on the Bush administration Sunday to boost federal spending on a health insurance program serving low-income children.

During its annual meeting, the National Governors Association reaffirmed support for expanding the State Children's Health Insurance Program while declining to endorse a specific funding amount.

"The governors have been very firm that SCHIP is their No. 1 health care priority at the federal level," said Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano, wrapping up her term as chairwoman of the organization.

The program subsidizes insurance for children and some adults with incomes too high for Medicaid but not high enough to afford private insurance.

The Senate Finance Committee last week approved a five-year, $35 billion expansion, to be paid for with a 61-cents-per-pack increase in the federal cigarette tax.

Supporters said that would allow 6.6 million people to maintain their existing health coverage while adding 3.2 million uninsured children to the program.

House Democrats are expected to seek a $50 billion increase, financed by cutting payments to insurers that administer managed care plans under the Medicare program for seniors.

The American Hospital Association, the American Medical Association and the American Cancer Society support the increase.

But the Bush administration, which has consistently referred to SCHIP as government-run health care, says billions of dollars in insurance costs will be shifted from the private sector to the federal government under the Senate proposal.

President Bush told an audience in Nashville last week that the Senate bill is "the beginning salvo of the encroachment of the federal government on the health care system."

Mr. Bush has threatened a veto, saying the program should grow only by $5 billion.

The SCHIP program will expire Sept. 30 if Congress and the White House can't agree on terms for continuing it.

In letters to Mr. Bush and congressional leaders, the governors urged them to settle the matter without a series of stopgap extensions. They praised the Senate bill's preference for giving state governments flexibility in running the program instead of strict mandates.

"Gridlock, no answer, is the worst answer," New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine said during a panel discussion at the governors meeting. Continuing the program without adequate federal funding would be "disastrous" for state budgets, he said.

A variety of groups — seniors, doctors, unions, family advocates and pharmaceutical companies — are lobbying for the Senate or a competing House bill, and are working to help create a veto-proof majority.

AARP and the American Medical Association plan to make it uncomfortable for Republican lawmakers to agree with the administration's position. On Friday, the two organizations announced a lobbying campaign that they said will likely exceed $2 million.

They back the House legislation for two reasons: It would expand health insurance to more children and eliminate a 10 percent cut in reimbursement rates for doctors who see Medicare patients. The cut would kick in Jan. 1, unless Congress intervenes.

The House legislation would pay for those changes by increasing tobacco taxes and lowering payments to insurers who administer health plans for Medicare beneficiaries. The two groups say the insurance companies are overpaid.

[snixchance]

There the *** goes again; continuing to waste our tax dollars on a useless war. This small amount asked for to fund health care for the indigent would not even fund one week of his beloved war. Why someoone has not tried to assisanate that *** is beyond me. He gives not one *** for his own Americans; only uselessly trying to bring our kind of fractured and unfair government to people who don't even want it. What Bush dies, my flag will definitely be at full mast!

[fizzal-2009]

go go New Jersey and get them children to walk for their health, handing out fliers for pizza delivery.

[hhkeller]

Bush's Daddy covered his medical bills till he was 35 years old. Ever notice how the stingy Repugs will rip their clients and country off as often as they can and then whine about kids getting wellness care. Its an odd behavior.

[psk123-2009]

afmca,
The saddest and probably the most disgusting part of your whole post is that is rings too true. What a shame.

[rushlimpdrug]

Go away kid, you're bothering me.
-and take the gov with ya.

[afmca]

Bush says - Children must die so my tax breaks to the wealthy survive.

Bush says - Don't murder a stem cell, I'll do it once they're born

Bush says - Why don't they become President, I have a great health care plan - they have to be at least as smart as I am

Bush says - If they were illegal, they could get all the free care they wanted in the emergency room

Bush says - If I have to take care of sick children, then Congress will make me take care of wounded soldiers

Priorities - one must have priorities!