Democrats Push Through Kids Health Plan

Bill Would Give Coverage To 6 Million Children; Faces Bush Veto Threat

(CBS/AP)  Democrats pushed through legislation Wednesday to add 6 million lower-income children to a popular health insurance program while making deep cuts in federal payments to Medicare HMOs, defying a veto threat from President Bush.

The House voted 225-204, mostly along partisan lines, to pass the legislation, which would add $50 billion to the decade-old State Children's Health Insurance Program and roll back years of Republican-driven changes to Medicare.

It would slash federal payments to private insurance companies that cover seniors under Medicare and shift money to doctors and benefits for low-income seniors.

The legislation sparked a bitterly partisan health care battle on the eve of Congress' monthlong summer recess.

A raucous debate over the measure — filled with parliamentary fireworks by angry Republicans — engulfed what is otherwise a broadly supported program to insure working poor kids in a larger argument over whether the government or the private sector should provide health insurance to the nation's most vulnerable populations.

President Bush and his allies contend the bills goes too far. They say the legislation is a slippery slope toward a universal health care plan, reports CBS News correspondent Thalia Assuras.

A more limited, $35 billion expansion of the children's health care program without broader Medicare changes appeared headed for a bipartisan endorsement in the Senate by the end of the week, despite another threatened veto. Bush has proposed spending half as much on the program over the next five years.

In a veto threat of the House bill issued Wednesday, the administration said the legislation “clearly favors government-run health care over private health insurance,” and spends far too much.

The decade-old SCHIP program is designed to subsidize the cost of insurance for children whose families earn too much to participate in Medicaid, but not enough to afford private health insurance. Through federal waivers, however, the program has expanded in many states to include middle-income children and adults, prompting Republicans to argue that it has morphed into a backdoor way to extend government-provided health care to an ever-increasing population of Americans.

“This is not just about helping low-income children. This bill today seems to be spending government funds to lure middle class, upper middle class, even wealthy, perhaps, families, to opt out of private health coverage and go to government health coverage,” said Rep. Jim McCrery of Louisiana, the top Republican on the Ways and Means Committee.

Democrats, betting that opposing the measure — which would insure a total of 11 million under SCHIP — would be a political loser for Republicans, painted the GOP opposition as mean-spirited and stingy.

“We are halfway to covering the uninsured children in this country, and the Republicans want to pack up and go home,” said Rep. Diana DeGette, D-Colo.

Beyond health care for children, though, the measure reflected dueling Democratic and Republican health care priorities, especially on how to cover the nation's seniors, a potent voting bloc. Democrats have long worked to bolster government-provided coverage for seniors under Medicare, while Republicans have favored giving private companies incentives to insure them.

To help pay for the SCHIP increase, Democrats dipped into federal payments to Medicare HMOs, which they argue drive up premiums for seniors in traditional Medicare by inflating the cost of care. Officials estimate the government pays an average of 12 percent more to these private plans than it does for traditional coverage.

Rep. John D. Dingell, D-Mich., chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, called the Medicare HMO overpayments “a great injustice,” and said Democrats were determined to “stop that evil practice.”

Republicans said Democrats would live to regret the Medicare cut, which GOP strategists say will prompt angry seniors to exact a steep political price on the majority party.

“Don't use children as your shield,” said Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Mich. “This is the single largest cut to Medicare in the program's history.”

The rest of the increase would be financed by a 45-cent-per-pack cigarette tax increase.

[randalds]

Oh and allow me to point out two things. I did not blame Bush or Cheney for anything, though they're on the record as opposing the idea. And secondly the military model I'm speaking of is not the VA. The military services active duty hospitals and health care system is completely separate from the VA and is excellent. The VA system needs much reform, there's no doubt about that, but the active duty system is in excellent health and shows that the government can indeed provide good complete health care for all ages efficiently and with good quality. It is the model I'm referring to.

[randalds]

Posted by S_Temper at 10:42 PM : Aug 02, 2007

It's all about good management. besides what happened at Walter Reed was because of pis*s poor preparations for the numbers, not a fundamental flaw in the system. Go to just abut any military base hospital that's working on a strictly walk in with your military ID card and ask for service and you'll be pleasantly surprised. As a whole our military medical system works fine. It is not perfect and neither will a government run health care program, but the military model is an excellent one and it will certainly be much much much better then the broken health care system we have now.

[hungry1968]

"Our First Lady was scheduled to be in Minneapolis/St. Paul tomorrow. Fate may have had HER on that bridge when it went down instead of the innocents that were there."


Too bad she wasn't. Then the pathetic *** Bush would have to wonder, "What if I used the $3 billion dollars a week to rebuild our infrastructure instead of pissing it away in Iraq?"

Let him carry that to his grave - blood sucking neo con.

[latazman]

I'm reading all these postings and wonder, are y'all just gonna *** or help get the vote out? Big changes need to be put in place and it all starts by showing the Repubs they CAN be voted out of office and that goes for poor examples of Demos. "Of the People, for the People"

[homespunlady]

Here's a thought that those that think keeping American infrastructure safe is a waste of taxpayer dollars that would be better given back to the wealthy.

Our First Lady was scheduled to be in Minneapolis/St. Paul tomorrow. Fate may have had HER on that bridge when it went down instead of the innocents that were there.

Structural failure DOES NOT respect wealth, power or political party.

We tell our kids to clean their rooms and we maintain our homes and vehicles to avoid more expensive repairs and unfortunate repercussions.

It's PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE that lowers the risk of ALL types of "accidents". It's careless disregard of that fact that endangers us all.

How many "warnings" does it take? Lax airline safety, levee failures, destroyed towns from worsening weather, contaminated water systems that kill, bridge collapses, building collapses all while we divert our assets into the pockets of wealthy individuals and companies that take the money and run.

Our nation's priorities are costing us in many ways. Preventable health problems, preventable infrastructure problems, preventable international problems, and on and on.

Shortsighted selfish choices are NO WAY to run a nation.

[randalds]

Posted by catt42701 at 05:01 PM : Aug 02, 2007

the cold hard truth is that Bush and his supporters simply do not care. They don't give a da*mn about hard working Americans who've held a job all of their lives and contributed to this country, but who through no fault of their own can not afford decent health care. To them decent dignified health care is not a right, but a privilege only for the well off and rich. To them anyone who can't afford to buy insurance is some sort of blood sucker who must be just too lazy to make the needed money. The truly sick part is that these same people go to church every Sunday and pat themselves on the back for being good christians because they toss a dollar bill or two into the collection plate. they leave their faith at the door as soon as they step into the sunshine. They're all hypocrites and they just do not care.

[catt42701]

To the lawmakers and the president that opposses the Childrens Health Insurance Program I hope that some day when you are old and you have children that you love, your relative or not, that they can afford insurance because you sure dont give a *** about those who dont. The same goes for the disabled and elderly. I hope that you lose your money and you pensions and have to live like I have to live and the way many of our elderly live. Making a choice between food, housing, or medical care. Forget about insurance or a nice car. We're lucky to get a rust bucket. I would love to be green but can't afford it beyond trying to recycle everything I use, including cereal and raisin boxes.

[randalds]

Posted by micma at 03:33 PM : Aug 02, 2007

ROTFLMAO!!!

The sad part is that the republican Bush supporters here are reading your posts and going "Yeah! That's right!"

[gretagreen]

funny posts Micma! :0

[micma-2009]

Giving poor kids free healthcare just encourages them to be lazy and expect handouts. These kids need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps and get a job! If we didn't have all these stupid child labor laws they could be working when they are walking. That way they could be setting aside money for when they needed to go to a doctor. It could be a medical savings plan for kids.

[micma-2009]

The Demoncrats obviously have there priorities backward. We can't afford healthcare for kids in this country. We've got a war to pay for. Wake up people! The Demoncrats are ruining this country.

[randalds]

Posted by Rafterman1 at 02:56 PM : Aug 02, 2007

Well, except for security, getting rid of the government completely is the ultimate goal of the neoconservatives like Bush and Cheney. Their number one tax advisor, Grover Norquist, is famous for saying that the goal is the shrink government down to the size where it can be drowned in a bathtub. The goal it that there'll be a paid for private military and that everything else will be run strictly by big business, with no government to have regulations on them. The honestly believe that this is the best way to run a nation. A tiny group of ruling elite and everyone else working for them.

[rafterman1]

===It's republicans that have fought to block every government program for the last 50 years, not democrats.===

Makes me wonder why, if Repubs have their way, we even need a federal government. In my mind, if government isn't going to help people (with programs and such), then why the h3ll do we need them? If government isn't going to do anything for the people, then it is useless. Making those who get electd even richer (since most office holders in Congress and especially the Senate are rich to begin with) is not where I want my tax dollars going. The government helping poor kids? Fine. Making HMO's even richer? Not fine.

[randalds]

I was wondering, who do you see as the best Democrat presidential candidate so far - who would you vote for? Also, are you REALLY a US citizen?
Posted by S_Temper at 02:45 PM : Aug 02, 2007

Of course I am. Born and raised in the US of A. Right now I'm a Edwards supporter, but it doesn't look good for him. Still anyone running on the democratic side would be a huge improvement over the past 7 years and over anyone running of the republican side. Yes the government is a huge poorly run bureaucracy, but I completely reject the myth that it has to be that way. the problem is NOT the government, it's poorly run government. And yes I do want a government run program of health care for all citizens because it's a right (not a privilege) to have health care and despite the problems it will have (and it will have them) it'll still be better then the for profit system we have now that leaves 45 million working people without health care at all. besides the government ALREADY runs a huge and mostly efficient, good health care system for the military. It CAN work.

[weareone2]

Something that I don't understand is why the Republicans hate government and politics, but say we should respect whatever politician is president, even if he got in office by stealing votes, and chronic lying. In fact, I would say their attitude is that we should worship the president.
But when a Democrat is president, somehow the Republicans suddenly seem to feel differently.

[randalds]

It cracks me up that the ones on here that complain most about our government are also the ones that want the government to run Universal Health Care. ROFLMAO
Posted by nottellin1 at 01:55 PM : Aug 02, 2007

The people who complain most about government are REPUBLICANS!!!! Their goal is to slash government down to nothing! Do not try to paint democrats with your obstructionist brush. It's republicans that have fought to block every government program for the last 50 years, not democrats. have you ever actually paid attention to what your party wants? It would seem not. Not if you actually believe it's the democrats who bitc*h about the government! We don't hate the government, we just hate THIS president and how he's fu*cking up the government!

[randalds]

Posted by S_Temper at 02:04 PM : Aug 02, 2007

LOL!!! Unbelievable! Have you forgotten that your republicans??? It's republicans that hate the government, you dumb as*s! It's republicans that are always bit*ching about big government and government programs! It's republicans who are always trying to eliminate every government program! Now you actually have the balls (or the stupidity) to come on here and say it's democrats who are always bitc*hing about the government? What an idiot!!!

Of course democrats want universal health care because it's also what the American people want and it's always been democrats who have thought (and still do) that well run government programs are essential to this nation, not republicans! They HATE the government!

[lawton777]

The democrats finally did something about the corporate welfare in America. Thanks. Although this will displease many congressional members.

BUSH WILL NOT ALLOW THIS BILL TO STAND. HE WILL VETO IT!

[nottellin1]

It cracks me up that the ones on here that complain most about our government are also the ones that want the government to run Universal Health Care. ROFLMAO

[randalds]

I see all of the usual suspects with their RNC talking points are out in full force today. Funny how they all disappear at the same time too? That must be when it's feeding time at the pig trough. we have the ones desperately (and obviously) trying to change the subject to Clinton or the war in Iraq and then there's the ones bemoaning that the "poor" are that way because it's their own fault and completely ignoring the truth that most people in America who don't have insurance are hard working family people. Then last but not least we have the talking heads who think all politicians are corrupt and that we need to elect a third party candidate (like that's going to happen in our lifetime) who is "bought and paid for by big whatever". What we don't have is anyone proposing anything that's real or can be accomplished and that actually helps solve the problem. Sad.