H.R. 2 Passes House by 289 to 139
Washington, D.C.-- Congressman Eliot Engel – a senior member of the House Energy and Commerce’s Subcommittee on Health – lent his strong support as the full House passed the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (S-CHIP) on Wednesday to 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.
“It is hard to believe that there are millions of children in America who would not have health insurance if not for this legislation. It is a crystal-clear example of how our health system is in need of an overhaul,” said Rep. Engel. “I am encouraged that this bi-partisan bill passed the House so easily. I am hopeful the full Senate will promptly consider this measure, and incoming President-elect Obama will sign it into law within the first weeks of his Administration.”
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 extend 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 hope that their long-term health will not suffer as a result,” said Rep. Engel. “With rising unemployment and an economy in crisis, families cannot worry about whether or not they can afford to take their children to the doctor.”
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 an increase in the tobacco tax with the added benefit, Rep. Engel said, that the higher cost will discourage smoking by children.
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.
“We are only one of seven states to achieve a decline of that magnitude and as of the end of 2006, CHPlus increased enrollment by over a quarter of a million children since the start of S-CHIP for a 150 percent increase. S-CHIP also contributed to a nearly 30 percent increase in children enrolled in Medicaid. 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.
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