Health

US Senate Approves SCHIP Children's Health Insurance Bill

by Terri Potratz | January 29, 2009 at 12:22 pm

333 views | 7 Recommendations | 5 comments

The State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) was passed by a 66-32 vote in the US Senate on Thursday, providing uninsured children with access to government-sponsored healthcare. President Obama called the move "a down payment on my commitment to ensure that every American has access to quality, affordable health care."

The bill was previously resisted by Republicans who did not support diverting federal funds into the program, and former president George W. Bush vetoed a similar initiative in 2008 because it represented a shift to "government-run health care."

As a result of the bill approval, 4 million additional children are now eligible for SCHIP support:

Presently, the $25 billion program covers 7 million children living near the poverty level who do not qualify for Medicaid. Under the Senate bill and similar legislation passed by the House, an additional 4 million youngsters would be eligible for discounted care at an added cost of $32 billion over 4 1/2 years. That would leave Obama about 5 million children short of his promise to ensure that every youngster in the country has health insurance.

President Obama swiftly made good on his promise to guarantee healthcare for every American child and this bill passing is particularly valid given the current economic climate and dire straights ahead, especially for low-income families.

Opponents argue that the Democratic legislation goes beyond the original intent of the program by including children of legal immigrants and some families with incomes as high as $60,000 a year.
Both the House and Senate versions include millions of dollars for recruiting and enrolling youngsters. The expanded coverage would be paid for by increasing the cigarette tax by 61 cents a pack.

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Karenke4

at 17:18 on January 29th, 2009

I was very glad to read this. Bravo Obama!

RIPizzo

at 18:50 on January 29th, 2009

Thank you for using my photo!

sygnetcreations

at 18:55 on January 29th, 2009

Thanks for using my 'Patiently Waiting' photo =)

shelma2005

at 12:53 on January 30th, 2009

Russia, Tomsk region, closed territorial Seversk. The photo was made in today's perinatal center, where relatives and friends may not only be present at birth and to provide psychological support to mothers, but also the father of the child may be in the House of momoy and her child, and since the earliest days together, they can look after him.

shelma2005 has contributed a photo to this story.