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Children's Health Insurance

   
110th Congress, 2007 - 2008  

HR 3162 "Children's Health and Medicare Protection Act of 2007"

(As passed by the House)

Introduced by Representative John Dingell (D-MI)

• Reauthorizes the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) and provides $47 billion over five years;
   
• Is paid for by cutting Medicare Advantage payments by $50 billion over five years and by raising the tobacco tax by 45 cents;
   
• Expands access to dental care, mental health care, and some family planning services;
   
• Provides options for states to extend Medicaid and SCHIP coverage through age 21 and to cover some legal immigrants and pregnant women.
 

HR 976 "Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007"

(As passed by the Senate)

 
• Reauthorizes the SCHIP and provides $35 over five years;
   
• Paid for by raising the tobacco tax 61 cents;
   
• Expands access to dental and mental health care;
   
• Increases eligibility up to 300% of the federal poverty line (FPL);
   
•

Allows states currently covering above 300% of the FPL to continue doing so, and

  allows new states wanting to cover above 300% of the FPL to do so.
 

CAHC Position

The Coalition for Affordable Health Coverage supports the reauthorization of the SCHIP Program and believes it serves as a vital safety net for lower income children. However, as Congress reauthorizes this important program, we believe the program should stay true to its original mission to cover lower income children. SCHIP should prioritize enrollment of children in families with incomes below 200% of poverty, or $40,000 per year for a family of four. Secondly, SCHIP rules should be simplified to allow states to voluntarily use SCHIP dollars to subsidize employer-sponsored coverage so that more families can be covered under the same private-market plans. In addition, it should be noted that improving the current rules that allow buy-in of private coverage is especially important if the final SCHIP bill moves towards covering children further up the income ladder because more of these families will likely have access to employer-coverage.

Supplemental Materials

CAHC Recomendations for the Reauthorization of SCHIP

NAHU Recomendations for the Reauthorization of SCHIP

NAHU One-pager Summarizing their Reconmendations for SCHIP

NAHU Monthly Cost Comparison to Insure Children through SCHIP

Heritage Foundation "Duel Approach" Method to SCHIP

 


S. 2193 "More Children, More Choices Act of 2007"

Introduced by Senator Mel Martinez (R-FL)

• Reauthorizes the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) and provides $36.5 billion over 5 years;
   
• Requires states to cover 90% of targeted children at or below 200% of poverty, before expanding coverage eligibility;
   
• Allows States to expand coverage to children under 19 years of age and to pregnant woman, at 250% of poverty if the state passes a retrospective and prospective coverage test satisfying the 90% rule;
   
• Disqualifies children if their family has net assets exceeding $500,000;
   
• Provides a $1,400 per child health care tax credit for families earning 200 percent to 300 percent of the poverty level;
   
• Creates a State Health Innovation Commission that would develop and approve state applications for health care coverage programs.
   

CAHC Position

CAHC feels that this bill includes important provisions to ensure that SCHIP provides coverage to targeted low-income children at or below 200% of poverty first and foremost. CAHC applauds Senator Martinez for including a $1,400 health care tax credit per child for families with incomes 200%- 300% FPL to assist in purchasing either employer-sponsored or private health care coverage. This tax credit will discourage families who have access to employer-sponsored coverage from switching to government-sponsored coverage. In sum, Senator Martinez’s legislation contains many important provisions that would allow the SCHIP program to best succeed in its original mission to cover the neediest kids first.

 
 
   

 

 

 

 

"I urge Republicans and Democrats in Congress to support a bill that moves adults off this children's program -- and covers children who do not qualify for Medicaid, but whose families are struggling. If putting poor children first takes a little more than the 20 percent increase I have proposed in my budget for SCHIP, I am willing to work with leaders in Congress to find the additional money."

  – George W. Bush

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
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