Trick or Treat? Congress's SCHIP a Halloween Trick

The Heritage Foundation: According to media reports, Democrat Leadership and several Republicans in the Senate are attempting to peel off enough Republican no-votes on the State Childrens Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) to override President Bush's veto. With enough "tweaks" to the bill they believe they can satisfy the needed number to sucessfully override the veto.

It appears Congress isn't seeing the big picture. Here it is in plain English: We’re at the tipping point. Almost half of America’s children--45 percent already have their health care paid for by taxpayers. The vetoed children’s health bill (SCHIP) would boost this to 55 percent. Once the teeter - totter tips to the other side, there's no turning back. The end result: 100 percent of America's children receiving health care from the government.

A Halloween Trick? Small changes to the SCHIP bill don't make it any less scary for America's kids.
- It will still take middle-class kids off private insurance and put them on government health care - complete with rationing, shortages and long waits.
- It will still need 22 million new smokers to fund health coverage for America's children.
- It will still allow states to leave behind the neediest children in order to cover kids from middle-class families.
- It will still cover adults rather than poor kids.

Treats rather than tricks... Congress needs to craft a more balanced approach to addressing the coverage needs of children. A compromise solution has been introduced by Senators Mel Martinez (R–FL) and George Voinovich (R–OH) in the Senate (S. 2193), and by Representatives Marilyn Musgrave (R–CO), Tom Feeney (R–FL), Tom Price (R–GA), and Tim Walberg (R–MI) in the House (HR 3888). This compromise reauthorizes SCHIP for the population it was intended to serve. It does not displace existing private health insurance for children and families, which is an increasing concern of more and more Americans who have come to understand the current debate. Moreover, this legislation provides tax relief-in the form of health care tax credits-for middle-income families with children, enabling them to obtain and keep health care coverage. [Read Online Article]

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