Health care for kids expanded
Health care for kids expandedThursday February 05, 2009
By: The Associated Press
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama on Wednesdaysigned a bill extending health coverage to 4 million uninsuredchildren, a move he called a first step toward fulfilling a campaignpledge to provide insurance for all Americans.
Health care for kids expandedThursday February 05, 2009
By: The Associated Press
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama on Wednesdaysigned a bill extending health coverage to 4 million uninsuredchildren, a move he called a first step toward fulfilling a campaignpledge to provide insurance for all Americans.
Obama used an ebullient East Room signing ceremonyto continue his push for his plan that would provide universal healthinsurance. He wrapped the signing event in another pitch for hisseparate $819 billion economic plan that is under consideration in theSenate and faces Republican opposition.
"As I think everybody here will agree, this is only the first step," Obama said of the bill that reauthorizes the StateChildren's Health Insurance Program.
"Because the way I see it, providing coverage to 11million children through CHIP is a down payment on my commitment tocover every single American," he said to applause.
The children's health bill calls for spending anadditional $32.8 billion on SCHIP, which now enrolls an estimated 7million children. Lawmakers generated that revenue by raising thefederal tobacco tax.
Health officials project that there are about 8 million to 9 million uninsured children in the United States.
The bill went to the White House fresh from passage in the House on a vote of 290-135. Forty Republicans joined in approval.
Most Republicans, though, criticized the cost of the legislation. They also said it will mean an estimated 2.4 million children who otherwise would have access to private insurance will joinSCHIP instead.
"The Democrats continue to push their government-run health-care agenda — universal coverage, as they call it," said Rep.Pete Sessions, R-Texas.
SCHIP was created more than a decade ago to help children in families with incomes too high to qualify for Medicaid buttoo low to afford private coverage.
Federal money for the program was set to expire March 31, barring action by Congress. To cover the increase in spending, the bill would boost the federal excise tax on a pack ofcigarettes by 62 cents, to $1.01 a pack.
Opponents of the bill complained that the tobacco-tax increase hits the poor the hardest, because they are more likely to smoke than wealthier people. Many also took exception to expanding the program and Medicaid to children of newly arrived legalimmigrants.
But supporters said ensuring that children had access to adequate health care was a matter of priorities. Rep. Frank Pallone, D-N.J., said an estimated 4 million people have lostemployer-sponsored insurance in the past year.
"Do they keep their families' health insurance or do they put food on the table at night?" he said.
In Colorado, the bill is expected to preserve coverage for nearly 85,000 children currently in the program and offernew coverage to about 63,000 more.
"For too long, millions of low-income children were denied the opportunity for health care," said Rep. Diana DeGette, D-Denver, a key supporter of the bill. "I am committed to finding ways to provide and improve access to health care for children in Coloradoand nationwide."