Joins with President Obama at the White House Bill Signing

Washington, D.C.--Congressman Eliot Engel – a senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Health – lent his strong support as the full House passed the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (S-CHIP) on Wednesday, by a vote of 290-135. This measure will extend health coverage to millions of uninsured American children. S-CHIP is a top priority of the current session of Congress as it protects existing coverage and provides states with the resources to reach additional children who are eligible but not enrolled.

The House passed H.R. 2 on January 14, 2009 by a bi-partisan vote of 289-139. The Senate made some slight alterations to the bill when they adopted their version last week. Congressman Engel attended the ceremony to witness President Obama’s immediate signing of the bill.

“It is hard to believe there are millions of children in America who would fail to have health insurance, if not for this legislation. This is a crystal-clear example of how our health system is in need of an overhaul,” said Rep. Engel. “It is a refreshing change to see Democrats and Republicans come together to pass such important legislation, and even more encouraging to know that when it reached the President it received a signature instead of a veto.”

S-CHIP currently provides private health care coverage to more than seven million low-income uninsured children. Twice in the last Congress, President Bush vetoed bi-partisan bills to re-authorize and improve S-CHIP and Congress was only able to pass a third short-term extension of S-CHIP through March 2009. This new legislation will add approximately another four million children to the total and extends authorization for another four and a half years.

“It was disappointing, to say the least, that we were not able to get the changes that were badly needed past President Bush’s desk. It is unconscionable that the President was playing politics with our nation’s children. I shudder to think how many children were unable to afford proper care over that time and I hope their long-term health was not adversely affected,” said Rep. Engel. “With rising unemployment and an economy in crisis, families shouldn’t have to worry whether or not they can afford to take their children to the doctor.”

The Senate-passed bill closely follows the House bill. It makes only a few minor changes such as adding an option for states to provide dental-only coverage for children who are otherwise insured.
In addition, this version of S-CHIP will give the states the option to eliminate the five-year delay in coverage for low-income uninsured children and pregnant women who are legally in the United States. It also allows for improved outreach, dental coverage and other improvements. The cost of the program will be paid for by a tobacco tax with the added benefit, Rep. Engel said, that the higher cost will discourage smoking.

New York operates a separate stand alone program under S-CHIP, Child Health Plus (CHPlus). As of the end of Fiscal Year 2007, 651,853 children were enrolled and receiving comprehensive health care coverage in the program. As the third largest S-CHIP program in the nation (only California and Texas have more enrolled children), New York had reduced the number of uninsured children in the state by 40 percent by the end of 2006.

“Covering more eligible children is not only the right thing to do – it’s also much more cost-effective for taxpayers than using the emergency room as a primary care provider. In addition, a healthy child is better prepared for learning and success. S-CHIP has served New York and our country well and I will continue to support this program to care for our children’s health,” added Rep. Engel.

Rep. Engel said, “I was privileged to witness President Obama signing of this historic legislation into law. Providing health coverage for America’s children is the kind of change America needs.”