LAKE COUNTY — An attempt to override President George W. Bush”s veto of the State Children”s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) failed by 13 votes in a Thursday vote of the House of Representatives.
Congressman Mike Thompson (D ? CA) said he would continue efforts to get the bill approved. “We”re going to continue to fight for this bill until we prevail,” Thompson said Thursday. “Reauthorizing SCHIP in order to expand health care for our children is a fight we cannot afford to lose.”
Congress proposed a $35 billion spending increase to SCHIP that would cover 10 million children, four million more than are now on its insurance rolls. Bush proposed $5 billion to expand the program, and promised a veto if Congress pushed for health care expansion through SCHIP.
Spokesperson Anne Warden with Thompson”s office said the bill”s supporters have until a temporary extension ends November 16 to reauthorize the bill. While another override isn”t possible, Warden said the bill will need to be reintroduced.
“In six or seven states they spend more money on adults than children,” Bush said in a Wednesday morning press conference, according to a transcript at the White House Web site, www.whitehouse.gov. “And finally, the eligibility has been increased up to $83,000. That doesn”t sound like it”s a program for poor children to me.”
Thompson disagreed. “Claims that this bill provides coverage to adults and illegal immigrants or raises the income eligibility are … false. This bill does not change the eligibility for SCHIP at all. It simply increases the resources available for SCHIP so kids who aren”t currently enrolled but qualify can get the coverage they need.”
Healthy Families, Lake County”s version of SCHIP, serves 1,667 children in Lake County as of August. The program covers children whose families make too much to qualify for Medi-Cal. A family of four ? including the parent or parents ? with children between the ages of 1 and 5 no longer qualifies for Medi-Cal once the family”s monthly income reaches $2,289. Healthy Families would then kick in ? provided an application is approved ? and cover the family”s children until its income reaches $4,303.
“In addition to being supported by the vast majority of Americans, this bill is supported by 43 governors and hundreds of health-related organizations, including the health insurance companies,” Thompson said. “And it”s completely paid for. Those members of Congress who voted against this bill and then call themselves compassionate conservatives should take a long, hard look in the mirror.” Bush said Wednesday that the executive branch wasn”t “dialed in” from the bill”s inception. “That”s why the President has a veto. Sometimes the legislative branch wants to go on without the President, pass pieces of legislation, and the President then can use the veto to make sure he”s part of the process.”
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