|
Washington, D.C. --- U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health, issued the following statement after the House passed the Medicare, Medicaid, SCHIP Extension Act this afternoon.
The bill extends the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) through March 31, 2009 and provides additional funding to ensure that no children currently enrolled will be dropped from their coverage. The bill also blocks the scheduled 10.1 percent cut in Medicare physician payment scheduled for January 1, 2008 and replaces it with a 0.5 percent increase through June 30, 2008.
"Earlier this summer, the House passed the CHAMP Act, which would have strengthened CHIP and would have helped secure coverage for 10 million American children, four million of which are uninsured and come from hard-working families. The Act also included dramatic improvements for beneficiaries and providers under Medicare, which if enacted would have put the program on a more stable financial footing and would ensure that seniors have access to the medical care they need and deserve.
"Unfortunately, Senate Republicans obstructed this legislation from moving in the Senate, refusing to address any of the important Medicare reforms that were included in the CHAMP Act. President Bush also stood as a giant road block when he chose to veto two bipartisan compromises that would have strengthened CHIP.
"No one has gained anything form these actions by the president or my Republican colleagues, least of all the people who rely on these programs for their health care. This year, we had a chance to strengthen our nation's health care safety net and improve the lives of our most vulnerable citizens, the elderly, the young, the poor and the disabled. Instead, both the administration and Congressional Republicans are content on leaving here this year with doing the bare minimum on CHIP and Medicare when we could have accomplished so much more.
"Now, we are left with a package that addresses the most immediate concerns but leaves any real health care improvements for another day. I think that is very unfortunate, but with the current president and the current Senate, sadly, this is the best we can do.
"However, Democrats are determined to continue our fight to see the important provisions included in the CHAMP Act become law. We are especially committed to our goal of ensuring 10 million children have access to health insurance through CHIP."
|
