CINCINNATI (TDB) -- Ted Kennedy -- now backing Sen. Barack Obama -- refused to laud Hillary's signifance as an advocate for the Children's Health Insurance Program inside the Clinton White House. It looks like a political stab in the back. Health care is her signature issue. And previously, Kennedy had been full of praise. Just five months ago, he told the Associated Press:
"The children's health program wouldn't be in existence today if we didn't have Hillary pushing for it from the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue."
And in July 1997, Sen. Kennedy told a Congressional press briefing:
". . . we pay tribute to Mrs. Clinton. Mrs. Clinton has made the issue of children's health and well-being her really first priority in this country, and she was of invaluable help, both in the fashioning and shaping or the program, and also as a clear advocate, in terms of having an effective outcome, during the discussion and debate on the children's health issue"
Without knocking Kennedy by name, the Clinton campaign put out a statement that complained, "Individuals who oppose Hillary Clinton's candidacy for president but previously lauded her role in helping create SCHIP are now belittling her involvement." Factcheck.org now is reporting that Hillary played a significant role in 1997, and that Kennedy relied on her influence at the White House to marshal support for CHIP.
Showing posts with label Children's Health Insurance Program. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Children's Health Insurance Program. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Saturday, October 27, 2007
DNC Chair Howard Dean: Bush Republicans Wrong To Fund Iraq War Over Kids Health
CINCINNATI (TDB) -- DNC Chair Howard Dean delivered the party's national radio address today and he was in attack mode. He said it is "politics at its worse" for Republicans to support increased spending for wars, but not more for the Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). Dean was setting the tone and tenor for next year's elections. He portrayed the GOP as lacking a sense of responsibility to those in need at home while it spends big overseas.
"Just weeks after vetoing S-CHIP, the Bush Republicans wanted to borrow a total of $196 billion to continue the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, but they wouldn't spend $7 billion for the health of our children. The Republican leaders have made their choice. They want to stay in Iraq and deny our kids health care. It is wrong for the Bush Republicans to stand in the way of legislation needed to protect our kids."
"Just weeks after vetoing S-CHIP, the Bush Republicans wanted to borrow a total of $196 billion to continue the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, but they wouldn't spend $7 billion for the health of our children. The Republican leaders have made their choice. They want to stay in Iraq and deny our kids health care. It is wrong for the Bush Republicans to stand in the way of legislation needed to protect our kids."
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Children's Health Insurance Debate: Did Bushies Lie About Number of Needy Kids?
COLUMBUS (TDB) -- President Bush vows to veto a bipartisan move in Congress to expand the federal Children's Health Insurance Program, and now there is a report that says the White House has vastly underestimated the number of U.S. kids who need coverage. In fact, the report says the Bush Administration claims there are only 4.9 million uninsured kids in America, a number seriously at odds with Census data, which puts the number at 9 million.
In other words, there is a multi-million kid gap, according to the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured, which describes the White House as cherry-picking data to make its case against expanding the program. (Imagine that: The White House accused of manipulating data to make its case. Does that sound familiar to anybody?)
The Kaiser Commission raised concern about the White House numbers in a FAQ that addresses what it calls key questions about the current debate, and one of those key questions was about the number of American kids who lack health insurance. Here's Kaiser's take:
"Census data reports that there were approximately 9 million children under 18 without health insurance in 2005. Many researchers recognize that the Census data under-estimates the number of individuals covered by Medicaid. Peer-reviewed literature suggest that after adjusting for the under-count, there were about 8 million children without insurance at a point in time during 2004. Of the 8 million uninsured children, about two-thirds are estimated to be eligible but not enrolled in Medicaid and SCHIP.
"The Administration released estimates in June showing 4.9 million uninsured children. These figures are much lower than the 8 million estimate because they represent children who are uninsured for the entire year. Insurance coverage is not static and there may be more children without insurance over the course of a year than uninsured for the entire year. The methodology these estimates used to adjust for the Medicaid under count overstates Medicaid enrollment (resulting in participation rates over 100 percent in some states, and results in an under count of the children remaining uninsured."
Kaiser said the Congressional Budget Office, which is non-partisan, uses the Census estimate to calculate "a higher number of uninsured children" than the White House.
So the old bugaboo that has dogged the Bush Administration since the run-up to the Iraq invasion has cropped up in the CHIP debate -- once again, it stands accused of massaging data to fit the president's political position.
In other words, there is a multi-million kid gap, according to the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured, which describes the White House as cherry-picking data to make its case against expanding the program. (Imagine that: The White House accused of manipulating data to make its case. Does that sound familiar to anybody?)
The Kaiser Commission raised concern about the White House numbers in a FAQ that addresses what it calls key questions about the current debate, and one of those key questions was about the number of American kids who lack health insurance. Here's Kaiser's take:
"Census data reports that there were approximately 9 million children under 18 without health insurance in 2005. Many researchers recognize that the Census data under-estimates the number of individuals covered by Medicaid. Peer-reviewed literature suggest that after adjusting for the under-count, there were about 8 million children without insurance at a point in time during 2004. Of the 8 million uninsured children, about two-thirds are estimated to be eligible but not enrolled in Medicaid and SCHIP.
"The Administration released estimates in June showing 4.9 million uninsured children. These figures are much lower than the 8 million estimate because they represent children who are uninsured for the entire year. Insurance coverage is not static and there may be more children without insurance over the course of a year than uninsured for the entire year. The methodology these estimates used to adjust for the Medicaid under count overstates Medicaid enrollment (resulting in participation rates over 100 percent in some states, and results in an under count of the children remaining uninsured."
Kaiser said the Congressional Budget Office, which is non-partisan, uses the Census estimate to calculate "a higher number of uninsured children" than the White House.
So the old bugaboo that has dogged the Bush Administration since the run-up to the Iraq invasion has cropped up in the CHIP debate -- once again, it stands accused of massaging data to fit the president's political position.
Sunday, July 15, 2007
In Cleveland, Bush Warned Of Veto On Expanding Kids' Insurance
CINCINNATI (TDB) -- And now the White House has confirmed that President Bush intends to veto a push by Congress that would increase spending for the Children's Health Insurance Program, a proposed expansion covering far more than the current 8 million kids. Tony Fratto, a White House spokesman, said in a statement this weekend that Bush's senior advisers are "certainly going to recommend" a veto and "there is no question that the president would veto it."
A jump to $1 in the U.S. tax on a pack of cigarettes -- now at 39 cents a pack --would help pay for the federal CHIP expansion. The White House objects to tax hikes.
Bush was in Ohio last week and toured the Cleveland Clinic, a trip designed to shore up his image as a chief executive concerned about the nation's health care system. But he dropped a clear hint that the bipartisan efforts in the Senate to expand CHIP would be met with opposition at the White House.
"The program is going beyond the initial intent of helping poor children. It's now aiming at encouraging more people to go on government health care. It's a way to encourage people to transfer from the private sector to government health-care plans. I think it's wrong and I think it's a mistake."
The Senate hopes to increase CHIP spending by $35 billion, to about $60 billion by 2012. There are estimates the expansion of the program would cut the number of uninsured children by 4.1 million. Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee, and says the program needs more funds.
"After a successful 10-year history, the CHIP program is up for reauthorization this year. This year, the program will be reauthorized. I know Montana and other states need more funds. Without additional funds by 2010, I am told Montana will have to trims its CHIP enrollment from 13,900 to 8,000 or 9,000. We cannot afford to lose ground in our fight to get kids health coverage. As Chair of the Finance Committee, I will work with my colleagues to develop a reauthorization plan that full funds CHIP going forward and work to cover more eligible by unenrolled kids."
Baucus also gave a statement to the The New York Times, "The president should stop playing politics and start working with Congress to help kids through renewal of this program."
UPDATE: 9:58 am EDT -- In Ohio, there has been agreement already at the state level between Republicans and Democrats that all kids should have health coverage. It is in the new budget that went into effect earlier this month. Here's what Gov. Ted Strickland said in Youngstown just the other day (according to the Vindicator):
"Strickland, who formerly represented part of Mahoning County and all of Columbiana County in Congress, began his presentation at Tod Hall by discussing changes that will be made in the Ohio Children's Health Insurance Program. These will allow children whose families have incomes up to 300 percent of the poverty level to qualify for health insurance.
A family of four at 300 percent of the poverty level would have a family income of $61,650, according to 2007 figures. 'For the first time in Ohio history, I think we can now say as a result of this budget all children in Ohio will have access to affordable health care coverage,' Strickland said.
Children whose family income exceeds 300 percent of the poverty level but have catastrophic health conditions that make it difficult or impossible for them to get health insurance on the private market will be able to buy into the Medicaid program, he said.
'Thousands of children will be covered now,' he said.
As of May, 32 states and the District of Columbia had enacted or announced coverage initiatives for children, according to the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured."
A jump to $1 in the U.S. tax on a pack of cigarettes -- now at 39 cents a pack --would help pay for the federal CHIP expansion. The White House objects to tax hikes.
Bush was in Ohio last week and toured the Cleveland Clinic, a trip designed to shore up his image as a chief executive concerned about the nation's health care system. But he dropped a clear hint that the bipartisan efforts in the Senate to expand CHIP would be met with opposition at the White House.
"The program is going beyond the initial intent of helping poor children. It's now aiming at encouraging more people to go on government health care. It's a way to encourage people to transfer from the private sector to government health-care plans. I think it's wrong and I think it's a mistake."
The Senate hopes to increase CHIP spending by $35 billion, to about $60 billion by 2012. There are estimates the expansion of the program would cut the number of uninsured children by 4.1 million. Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee, and says the program needs more funds.
"After a successful 10-year history, the CHIP program is up for reauthorization this year. This year, the program will be reauthorized. I know Montana and other states need more funds. Without additional funds by 2010, I am told Montana will have to trims its CHIP enrollment from 13,900 to 8,000 or 9,000. We cannot afford to lose ground in our fight to get kids health coverage. As Chair of the Finance Committee, I will work with my colleagues to develop a reauthorization plan that full funds CHIP going forward and work to cover more eligible by unenrolled kids."
Baucus also gave a statement to the The New York Times, "The president should stop playing politics and start working with Congress to help kids through renewal of this program."
UPDATE: 9:58 am EDT -- In Ohio, there has been agreement already at the state level between Republicans and Democrats that all kids should have health coverage. It is in the new budget that went into effect earlier this month. Here's what Gov. Ted Strickland said in Youngstown just the other day (according to the Vindicator):
"Strickland, who formerly represented part of Mahoning County and all of Columbiana County in Congress, began his presentation at Tod Hall by discussing changes that will be made in the Ohio Children's Health Insurance Program. These will allow children whose families have incomes up to 300 percent of the poverty level to qualify for health insurance.
A family of four at 300 percent of the poverty level would have a family income of $61,650, according to 2007 figures. 'For the first time in Ohio history, I think we can now say as a result of this budget all children in Ohio will have access to affordable health care coverage,' Strickland said.
Children whose family income exceeds 300 percent of the poverty level but have catastrophic health conditions that make it difficult or impossible for them to get health insurance on the private market will be able to buy into the Medicaid program, he said.
'Thousands of children will be covered now,' he said.
As of May, 32 states and the District of Columbia had enacted or announced coverage initiatives for children, according to the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured."
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