Democrats use children and health care for political gain...yet again

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Recently, the federal SCHIP (State Children’s Health Insurance Program) has received a tremendous amount of interest and media coverage. Whenever you combine the terms children and health care people listen, but the problem is Democrats in Olympia and Washington D.C. are once again using children as pawns in a political chess game. I feel compelled to dedicate this e-newsletter to clearly outline SCHIP, and why I support President Bush’s veto to not expand the program.

SCHIP was intended to help states finance health insurance for children of economically-challenged families. The program has been successful in this goal – and I support it. However, I do not support the recent expansion proposals that would enroll children from middle-income families in tax-payer funded programs. This step towards a larger, tax-payer funded, government-controlled health care system would eventually drive up costs and limit health care options for everyone. It would also make the program financially unstable. For more information, please read the following editorial from the Tacoma News Tribune: Keep SCHIP focused on low-income children.

I understand that opposing the expansion of SCHIP might look like a vote against children; especially because this is how Democrats in Olympia and Washington D.C. are positioning it. Let me be clear – this is not a move against children. I firmly support providing low-income children with health insurance and this needs to be our focus. We should not allow the Democrats at both the federal and state level to push us down the socialized medicine road, which is unsustainable. 

Below is an overview of SCHIP and the expansion proposal. I hope you find this information helpful, and please contact me if you have any questions or would like to discuss this issue.

Sincerely,

Rep. Bill Hinkle
13th Legislative District
 

SCHIP Background

SCHIP is a federal and state health insurance program. The federal government determines eligibility standards, while states design their programs within these parameters. SCHIP was initially passed in 1997 by a Republican controlled Congress, and was intended to help states finance health coverage for poor children.

Under current federal law, the eligibility income limit is 200 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL), or 50 percent higher than what the state’s Medicaid program covers. In Washington state, the limit is 250 percent FPL. The proposed federal legislation will expand eligibility to children in families up to 300 percent of the FPL ($62,000/yr for family of four), and states could apply for waivers up to 400 percent FPL ($83,000/yr for family of four). SCHIP should not be a middle class entitlement.

In Washington, the state covers 35 percent of SCHIP and the federal government funds the remaining 65 percent. This is why the governor is so in favor of expanding the program; the state only pays about a third. However, this does not mean the other 65 percent is free – it is all taxpayer money. It is your money.

The other major problem with the SCHIP debate is that it misses a key group of the uninsured – young adults 19 to 34 years of age. In Washington, 91 percent of residents have health insurance, but the 19 to 34 category make up about half of the people who do not have insurance. Also, 70 percent of our state’s uninsured children are already eligible for government health insurance programs.

We all want children to have health insurance, but there are better approaches. Taking middle class family children out of the private sector is the wrong way of going about it.