Rep. Salazar calls on CMS to release SCHIP findings to justify veto

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today Rep. John Salazar called on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to immediately submit to Congress studies relating to the president’s veto of the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).

On October 2 the president vetoed H.R. 976, bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the successful SCHIP program.  In his veto message to Congress, the president said “…under this bill, government coverage would displace private health insurance for many children.”

“The president has given his rationale for this veto but unfortunately has not given Congress sufficient evidence that CMS can justify this rationale,” Rep. Salazar said.  CMS serves the Medicare, Medicaid, and State Children's Health Insurance Program populations.  “If studies or supporting materials exist, these documents should immediately be submitted to Congress,” added Salazar.

“Since the passage of SCHIP in 1997, the share of low-income children who are uninsured has dropped by 5.2 percentage points,” Rep. Salazar said.  “Clearly, this program is working as intended.”

Created in 1997, SCHIP was created to provide health care coverage for children in families who earn too much to qualify for Medicaid, but not enough to afford private insurance.  Currently six million children have health care because of SCHIP.  In Colorado 56,812 children are covered.