Congress should cover kids now
Post-Dispatch file photo.
The House of Representatives voted Wednesday to expand a key health insurance program for children that President George W. Bush vetoed twice last year. With less than a week left in Mr. Bush’s term, it is a fitting repudiation of the president’s misguided health policies.
No American child should grow up without health insurance and the regular medical care it provides. Just as we provide coverage for every elderly American, we also should ensure that every child is protected.
The State Children’s Health Insurance Program, sometimes called SCHIP, covers about 6 million kids in families that earn too much to qualify for Medicaid but not enough to buy health insurance on their own.
The bill approved by the House on Wednesday would renew their coverage. It also would extend benefits to another 3.5 million children in families earning up to three times the federal poverty limit, about $51,500 for a family of three. That’s been the eligibility level in Missouri since SCHIP was created in 1998.
Expansion of the program was approved twice by overwhelming majorities in the House and Senate. It attracted support from many leading Republicans. But Mr. Bush vetoed it both times, arguing that it was unneeded.
That wasn’t true before last year’s economic meltdown. It’s even less true now, with unemployment reaching levels not seen in decades.
Some 2.5 million U.S. jobs were lost during 2008, about 2 million of them in the last four months. For most Americans, the loss of a job also means the loss of health insurance coverage — both for the laid-off worker and his family.
Laid-off workers can choose to continue paying for health insurance from their employer, but most can’t afford to do so. A study released this week found that the cost of that continued coverage is equal to more than three-quarters of the average unemployment benefit paid to a worker in Missouri.
But covering kids is relatively inexpensive. Each child enrolled in Missouri’s MC+ for Kids SCHIP program costs about $131 a month. Most of that money comes from the federal government and so-called provider taxes paid by hospitals and managed care companies.
That investment pays off in healthier children who miss fewer days of school and are better able to learn.
The Senate should quickly follow the House lead and ensure that the bill is ready for President-elect Barack Obama’s signature when he takes office next week.
What the Post Disgrace fails to mention is the ridiculous idea on how the proposed expansion would be funded, tobacco taxes. They would have us believe that by raising taxes on tobacco products primarily used by lower income people. The raise in taxes will cause people to quite smoking, thus lowering the haul they would get to fund SCHIP. It is estimated that it would require 23 Million NEW smokers to pay for SCHIP. Democrats and “journalists” know there is no way in hell the increase in tobacco taxes can support SCHIP, but by claiming it is for the kids, they will get it passed, then just steal the money from some where else or increase taxes on something else to pay for it.
This makes perfect sense. Apparently, the majority of smokers are the poor.
So theoretically they are in a round about way now going to pay for their children’s health insurance, so hopefully they will smoke more, thus paying more. That would certainly make the big tobacco companies happy. Sounds like a good sound government plan to me. So smokers, have at it and know you are helping the needy.
Another thing the EDITORAL BOARD does not say is that the bill ocvers people “who do not make enough (money) to pay for insurance”. they should add, OR DO NOT CHOSE TO PAY FOR INSURANCE! The Board also does nat say how old the child should be to be included in this “bail out”. Last time the bill covered “children” up to 30 years of age (or some ridiculous age) and that Presidents fear was that people would drop their private insurance and let their child go on this, LET UNCLE SAM PAY FOR IT!
CONGRESS should cover kids now? Replace Congress in that headline with TAXPAYERS. Why are they always calling for Uncle Sucker to take care of their kids. Uncle Sucker doesn’t do anything to generate income to pay for anything, IT’S THE TAXPAYERS STUPID.