Kuhl Introduces Legislation to Fully Fund SCHIP through 2012

Press Release

Kuhl Introduces Legislation to Fully Fund SCHIP through 2012

Today U.S. Representative John R. "Randy" Kuhl, Jr. (R-Hammondsport) introduced legislation to extend full federal funding for the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) through the end of FY2012.

"While I remain committed to creating a bipartisan bill to reform and improve the current SCHIP program, I strongly believe that it is the federal government's responsibility to assure low-income, American families and States that federal funds for the SCHIP program will be there for years to come," said Rep. Kuhl. "Unless Congress passes legislation before next April, the SCHIP program will expire on March 31, 2009. I will not allow that to happen and that is why passing this legislation is critical to our nation's children."

Congressional Research Service estimates show that an expiration of federal SCHIP funding will lead to 42 states almost immediately expending all of their existing funding. According to official Congressional Budget Office (CBO) projections, the funding increases in this legislation will ensure that no States will have to reduce their SCHIP benefits package or change their current SCHIP eligibility standards due to a lack of federal funding. In fact, CBO estimates that this legislation would allow the enrollment of children and pregnant women to grow at nearly a four percent annual growth rate. However, it is important to note that this bill does not expand nor decrease the current eligibility limits for the SCHIP program.

"I fully support extending SCHIP to continue covering these poor children and pregnant women, which is why I introduced this legislation today and am currently a co-sponsor of the SCHIP Extension Act, H.R. 3584, which provides an 18 month extension of SCHIP. The legislation I introduced today with over 45 of my colleagues will ensure that our nation's more vulnerable citizens are guaranteed to have the quality, affordable health care they need and deserve." said Kuhl.

SCHIP, which was created by Republicans in 1997, has provided over 6.6 million low-income children with health care benefits. The program was designed to provide health coverage to children of the working poor - families who earn too much to qualify for Medicaid but not enough to afford private insurance. As of September 2007, there were still nearly half a million children eligible for the SCHIP program, but not enrolled.

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