DUB
September 28th, 2007, 07:12 PM
Joe Barton
Member of Congress (TX-06)
Messing with a Good Thing SCHIP
Earlier this week, the House of Representatives took up what was supposed to be a reauthorization and reform of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). Instead, Democrat leadership rammed through what amounted to a giveaway to illegal immigrants and a move toward socialized medicine.
SCHIP has been a good program. It was designed for children whose parents earn too much to be on Medicaid, but not enough to afford private insurance. The program was originally intended to provide children living in homes up to twice the poverty level ($41,300 a year for a family of four), with government-designed health coverage. Unfortunately, this new bill expands eligibility to people it was never meant to cover. For starters, there’s no hard and fast income or asset ceiling in the latest proposal. It would allow New York to extend SCHIP to families making $82,600, and New Jersey to provide this coverage to families making $72,275. The new bill also continues to fund SCHIP for adults through 2012, taking away limited resources from needy kids.
While federal law prohibits illegal aliens from receiving taxpayer funded benefits, the Democrats’ SCHIP bill essentially sidesteps this regulation. This legislation will allow states to substantially weaken the current identification requirements and make it easier for illegal aliens to break the law and qualify for Medicaid and SCHIP. According to the Social Security Administration (SSA), the language in this bill could lead to the enrollment of illegal aliens fraudulently using another person’s identity, and individuals who have illegally overstayed a valid work permit, as well as other non-citizens temporarily in the country. This equates to millions of dollars in added taxpayer expense.
SCHIP is of vital importance to millions of American children, and Congress should act soon to ensure its future. However, we must do so in a responsible and efficient manner. I have introduced what I believe to be a responsible extension of the current SCHIP program, while closing loopholes that are taking money away from the children it was meant to serve. Unfortunately, Democrat leadership has decided to play politics with children’s healthcare. I find that to be completely unacceptable.
Member of Congress (TX-06)
Messing with a Good Thing SCHIP
Earlier this week, the House of Representatives took up what was supposed to be a reauthorization and reform of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). Instead, Democrat leadership rammed through what amounted to a giveaway to illegal immigrants and a move toward socialized medicine.
SCHIP has been a good program. It was designed for children whose parents earn too much to be on Medicaid, but not enough to afford private insurance. The program was originally intended to provide children living in homes up to twice the poverty level ($41,300 a year for a family of four), with government-designed health coverage. Unfortunately, this new bill expands eligibility to people it was never meant to cover. For starters, there’s no hard and fast income or asset ceiling in the latest proposal. It would allow New York to extend SCHIP to families making $82,600, and New Jersey to provide this coverage to families making $72,275. The new bill also continues to fund SCHIP for adults through 2012, taking away limited resources from needy kids.
While federal law prohibits illegal aliens from receiving taxpayer funded benefits, the Democrats’ SCHIP bill essentially sidesteps this regulation. This legislation will allow states to substantially weaken the current identification requirements and make it easier for illegal aliens to break the law and qualify for Medicaid and SCHIP. According to the Social Security Administration (SSA), the language in this bill could lead to the enrollment of illegal aliens fraudulently using another person’s identity, and individuals who have illegally overstayed a valid work permit, as well as other non-citizens temporarily in the country. This equates to millions of dollars in added taxpayer expense.
SCHIP is of vital importance to millions of American children, and Congress should act soon to ensure its future. However, we must do so in a responsible and efficient manner. I have introduced what I believe to be a responsible extension of the current SCHIP program, while closing loopholes that are taking money away from the children it was meant to serve. Unfortunately, Democrat leadership has decided to play politics with children’s healthcare. I find that to be completely unacceptable.