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The facts on SCHIP
By Rep. Glenn Anderson
Children are our message
to the future. As a state representative, I believe it is our duty to
provide an environment in which all children can realize their full
potential. My focus has been to ensure our children receive a high
quality K-12 education that truly prepares them for life’s journey.
The most powerful learning experience is the power of example. What we
know, how we interact with others and how we pass on our experiences to
succeeding generations are all defined by this truism of learning.
Setting the example and making the sacrifices to ensure a child is
healthy and ready to learn are the fundamental cornerstones of good
parenting.
However, the tremendous political controversy over the State Children’s
Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) is coming to symbolize all that is
wrong with our commitment to our children’s future. SCHIP is a federal
and state health insurance program intended to help states finance gaps
in health coverage for the poorest children. The federal government
determines eligibility standards, while states align their programs
within these parameters. The Democrat-controlled Congress has proposed a
massive expansion of SCHIP that would allow many middle-income families
to enroll in a program designed for low-income families, even before
we’ve covered all of our poorest children.
This decision has led to nasty political rhetoric that is just absurd.
“If you are against our proposal for a $35 billion expansion of SCHIP,
you are against children.” In short, if you don’t agree with us you must
be a monster. What a ridiculous basis for a public debate on such an
important issue. Instead of identifying the facts that would justify
such a dramatic increase, the debate resorts to character assassination
and emotional bullying. This is the example of civic conduct and
integrity we choose to set for our children? Let’s stick to the facts
and what this issue means for our state.
Under federal law, the current SCHIP eligibility income limit is 200
percent of the federal poverty level (FPL), or 50 percent higher than
what the state’s Medicaid program covers. The proposed federal
legislation will expand eligibility to children in families up to 300
percent of the FPL ($62,000/yr for a family of four). A waiver up to 400
percent FPL ($83,000/yr for a family of four) would also be possible.
The 300 percent threshold is higher than the average median household
income in all but two counties in our state and would allow 53% of our
state’s children to qualify for Medicaid and SCHIP.
In Washington, 4.4 percent of children do not have health insurance.
Seventy percent of those uninsured already have access to
government-sponsored programs like SCHIP and Medicaid but have not
enrolled. That means only 1.3 percent of children in our state do not
have health insurance or are not eligible for a current government
health insurance program.
Because Washington’s tax structure depends on sales tax for the majority
of its revenues (which places a greater burden on lower income families)
and the fact the proposed SCHIP expansion will be funded with $.61 per
pack federal cigarette tax increase (smoking is more associated with
lower income persons), the net economic effect will be that lower income
families will pick up a greater tax share of providing children’s health
insurance for middle income families. That is just plain crazy.
So why if there is no justification to radically expand SCHIP is there
such a focused campaign to demonize those who oppose it? Political power
and control, of course. The funding for the Democrat proposed SCHIP
expansion is fully eliminated in the 2012 budget. So much for a
long-term commitment to those children.
When looking at SCHIP, government’s priority should be enrolling all
currently eligible children who need and qualify for health insurance.
It is shameful for us to allow politicians to exploit the health of our
children and use it as an emotional battering ram in their self-serving
pursuit to achieve political power. Is this the example we want to set
for our children? |
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