California Member of Congress Jerry McNerney: "Low Income Children in California and Our Nation Deserve Health Coverage"

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Randy Bayne
The Bayne of Blog's California Notes

Congress voted once again today to reauthorize the State Children Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). The vote on H.R. 3963 was 265 yeas to 142 nays.

The new version of SCHIP attempts to address concerns raised by President Bush and House Republicans. According to a press release from Congressman Jerry McNerney's office, there are several changes to this bill that did not appear in previous versions:

• SCHIP coverage will be permitted for children only from families who earn less than 300 percent of the poverty level.

• In order to ensure that lowest-income children are covered first, the states will only receive bonus payments for enrolling eligible children in Medicaid, in this case California’s MediCal program.

• The revised bill goes even further that previous versions in clarifying that the legislation does not allow illegal immigrants to get SCHIP:

• If the Social Security Administration cannot confirm an applicant’s citizenship, the applicant will be required to provide the state with additional documentation to confirm eligibility.

• Under the original bill any childless adults covered under SCHIP – a decision made by individual states – would have to have been phased out over two years. Under the bill passed today that requirement is moved up to one year.

The new bill still covers 10 million low-income children, something the Democrats say they are not willing to negotiate. "Low income children in our nation deserve health coverage," says McNerney. He calls continued opposition to SCHIP "simply playing politics. "

"I was proud – again – to support the critical State Children’s Health Insurance Plan, which provides health care to 45,000 children in San Joaquin, Contra Costa, and Alameda Counties," Rep. McNerney said. "There is no reason these children, and other low-income children nationwide, should not have health coverage."