H.R.2 - Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 Sponsor: Frank Pallone / 111th Congress

Title
111th Congress - To amend title XXI of the Social Security Act to extend and improve the Children's Health Insurance Program, and for other purposes. hidemore...
Summary
To amend title XXI of the Social Security Act to extend and improve the Children's Health Insurance Program, and for other purposes. (by CRS)
Status
The bill has become law.

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Health Coverage for 11 Million Children by Karen Chung, Jan 19, 2009 (10:16pm)

The State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) was established in 1997 to provide states with federal matching funds to cover low-income uninsured children. Today, all fifty states participate in the voluntary program which covers over seven million children. Having failed to override Bush’s veto twice before, the Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 (H.R. 2) is the third attempt by Congress to reauthorize SCHIP, which expires in March 2009, and expand the program to cover an additional four million children and to improve access to benefits such as dental coverage and mental health parity. The bill would to reauthorize SCHIP until 2013 to enable states to maintain and extend current programs via a cigarette tax increase. Opponents of the bill argue that the program will expand coverage to higher income children and adults, taking away from children who actually need assistance and crowding out private insurers. Some insist that relying on a cigarette tax increase is irrational, considering the declining population of smokers. Also, they argue that a 156% cigarette tax increase is unfair because it targets smokers and specific businesses. Arguments that highlight the flaws of the bill may be sound—a bill that carefully expanded benefits to disadvantaged children rather than higher-income families would be ideal. However, it would be more detrimental to deny millions of children health insurance by letting SCHIP expire.

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