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WASHINGTON, D.C.—Congressman Allen Boyd (D-North Florida) last night voted for the fiscally responsible State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) Reauthorization Act of 2007 (HR 976), which is set to expire on September 30, 2007. The bipartisan bill continues healthcare coverage for the 6.6 million currently covered by SCHIP and provides health insurance to 3.8 million more uninsured children who are eligible for the program.
“SCHIP has been successful in significantly reducing the number of children without health coverage since its establishment 10 years ago,” said Congressman Boyd. “Providing our children with access to medical care is one of the most effective investments we can make as a country. Also, the SCHIP reauthorization bill is fully paid for, adhering to the pay-as-you-go budget rules. I am pleased that the bill supports the continuation of this important program and does so in a fiscally responsible way.”
SCHIP was first created in 1997 to cover children and families who earned too much to qualify for Medicaid but either didn’t have employer-based coverage or couldn’t afford private coverage. In 2006, 6.6 million children were enrolled in SCHIP, and of these children, 83 percent are from households that are at or below 200 percent of the poverty level.
Under this legislation, 232,000 uninsured children in Florida would gain health coverage. Currently, there are approximately 500,000 uninsured children in the state of Florida who are eligible for SCHIP, known as KidCare in Florida.
“It is my hope that Florida will take advantage of the federal funding for this vital program and work to make our state’s KidCare program more accessible to eligible, low income children,” Boyd stated. “SCHIP is a state and federal partnership, and I am eager to work with my colleagues in Congress and with the state of Florida to make the program even more effective.”
The SCHIP reauthorization bill has been endorsed by the American Medical Association (AMA) and the American Cancer Society. The bill awaits consideration by the Senate later this week and then will be sent to the President for his signature.
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