SCHIP Should be for Needy Children Only

Statement

SCHIP Should be for Needy Children Only

Today, Congressman John Sullivan released the following statement regarding the vote to override the President's veto of the State Children's Health Insurance Plan (SCHIP) reauthorization bill. The veto was sustained, by a margin of 156-273.

"SCHIP is a program to bring health insurance to needy, under privileged children who do not have access to private insurance and I support it being reauthorized for this purpose. However, I do not support expanding the program to a size that is unsustainable and expanding the program to children who are already covered by choice-driven private insurance. As it currently stands, this legislation dramatically increases federal funding to enroll new children, many of whom already have private insurance coverage, in SCHIP for the next five years. According to the Congressional Budget Office, 50 percent of the upper-income enrollees added to SCHIP by this proposal currently have private health insurance, but will drop their current health insurance coverage and shift these costs to taxpayers. In addition, some states use their SCHIP funds to enroll adults. For example, in Minnesota, 87 percent of their enrollees are adults. It is irresponsible for Congress to pass legislation which will move individuals off of their current private health insurance, to government subsidized healthcare and stick the American taxpayers with the bill."

"I remain committed to increasing access to health care for American children, which is why I am a proud cosponsor of H.R. 3584, the SCHIP Extension Act of 2007. H.R. 3584 would reauthorize and fully fund the existing SCHIP program for an additional 18 months, which will give Congress the time necessary to craft a bill that will provide benefits to those low-income, uninsured children for whom the program was originally created."

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