Child Insurance Blog

As many of you know, the debate on the SCHIP legislation swirls throughout the country.? Here are some examples of how the media is spinning the situation.

• Dean on SCHIP? - The Birmingham News
• A Closer Look at SCHIP? - Roanoke Times
• Health Care for Kids is Scary? - Napa Valley Register
• Children’s Healthcare Fight? - Charlotte Sun-Herald
• Democrates to Talk to GOP - Belleville News Democrat
• Bush Nixes Child Health Bill Revisions - Associated Press
• GOP Looking for Breakthrough on Health Bill - Associated Press

It always helps to humanize a situation and that is the latest tactic utilized by the Democratic party in regards to the fight over the State Childrens’ Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).? Young Graeme Frost has been presented as a child whose health care needs and insurance coverage has been affected by the veto of the SCHIP increase.? Now while this does help people put a face with the problem, it also drags poor Graeme and his family through the mud as a result.? Take a look at this article in the New York Times to get the full story and to get a look at Graeme.

According to an article from the New York Times, Democrats are keeping the heat on Republicans over child healthcare.? There is blood in the water and they are circling like sharks looking for an easy kill.?

The plan is to utilize a relative comparison of the war in Iraq versus the requested spending lift for the? States’ Child Health Insurance Program.? According to the Democrats, this comparison? will show a couple things.? One, the cost of the SCHIP increase pales in comparison to the expense of the war in Iraq.? Two, it makes one question why the war is more important than our children right here at home.

While these are probably good arguments for argument sake, they still do not get at the issue of why the SCHIP program increase was vetoed in the first place.? It takes the whole discussion back to a childish level where now they are expecting things based on relative cost and relative importance.? I think we can all agree that the increased spend is less than the war.? That’s basic math.? I also think our children are extremely important.? I’ve got three of them.? With both of these things said, that still does not automatically mean the bill should have been passed.?

Surely there are better arguments than? an SCHIP increase? is cheap and better than a war.? What if you tried to arrive at a middle ground?? Maybe there are some additional sources of funding that have not been explored.? Why did the bill really get vetoed?? Was there some junk in the legislation that didn’t need to be there?? You may have to do a little more work because whining won’t get you anywhere.? I tell my kids that all the time.? I will close with a quote from Thomas Edison.

“Opportunity is missed by most because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” - Thomas Edison

What does everyone else think?? I am for kids and for child health care, but I am not for lazy politicians.? Does this sound like a valid set of arguments to everyone else?

Trying to remain impartial, and not knowing any of the real facts to pass a legitimate judgement, Senator Hilary Clinton claims to have spearheaded the State Children’s Health Insurance Program during her husband’s time as President of the United States.? Here is an excerpt from ABC News on the subject.

“Clinton claims significant credit for helping launch the effort formally the state Children’s Health Care Insurance Program as first lady during her husband’s second term. Her new television ads prominently mention it as evidence of her long-term commitment to health care and children.”

The jockeying for position continues.? The full story is at ABC News if you are interested.

Politicians need something to talk about and luckily for us they have chosen to debate children’s health and the SCHIP situation.? Take a look at the transcript over at the Baltimore Sun.

Nancy Pelosi discusses the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) in an interview with Fox News.? Check it out here.

Thanks health care industry.? It is always a pleasure doing business with you.? Now Medicaid’s spending is up for the year.? Why is this important?? Well in the CHIP program the states pay 43% of the costs and the federal government (tax payers) picks up the rest of the tab.? Lovely.

Here is an excerpt from USA Today’s article on the situation.

“Medicaid and the related Children’s Health Insurance Program are state-run health insurance plans for the poor. States pay 43% of the cost. The federal government pays the rest and sets broad rules. Medicaid pays nursing home costs for seniors who have exhausted their savings.”

We knew it was coming.? It’s not like it is a surprise.? President Bush vetoed the bill proposing changes to the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).? Here is a story, courtesy of the Associated Press,? mentioning that the veto is coming.? Here is a story saying that the veto has come? (showing a little love for our BBC coverage from the UK).? This is only Bush’s 4th veto during his time in office.

Well parents, what do you think?? Did Bush do the right thing?

It was reported Monday that fives states will sue the US government over new rules to the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).? Those states include Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, and Washington.? These states worry that changes to SCHIP will create a situation where they will no longer be able to cover children who are currently covered under the existing plan.

This from newsok.com:

“After twice voting against legislation to expand the children’s health insurance program, U.S. Rep. Dan Boren announced today that he had a change of heart and would vote to override President Bush’s expected veto of the bill.”

This is important because Boren was one of eight Democrats in the US House of Representatives to vote against overriding President Bush’s veto of the proposed change to the SCHIP program.