SCHIP-Lite Fails in Oregon
As I write, serious arm twisting is going on in Washington to get a veto-proof re-authorization of SCHIP, or the State Children’s Health Insurance Program. SCHIP’s original purpose was to assist low-income families without health insurance, and whose income was too high to qualify for Medicaid, to get their children insured. Generally, families with incomes up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level, approximately $40,000 for a family of four, are eligible for the program.
As you may have read in news reports, big-government supporters in Congress want to expand SCHIP to the middle-class and allow families with incomes up to 300 percent of the federal poverty level, or $62,000 for a family of four, to qualify for the taxpayer-funded program. Supporters of the current SCHIP expansion plan claim the proposal is “paid for” with an increase in tobacco taxes and by following PAYGO rules. These arguments are a total farce, which you can read about here and here.
Interestingly, a similar battle just occurred in Oregon and politicians saw the connection between the two efforts. Big spending liberals, including the governor, wanted to provide a state version of SCHIP for middle-class families funded by an increased tax on tobacco. Oregon Congressman, Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D) said, “If Oregon votes in the affirmative for this, it will be a shot in the arm. It will be harder for some people to ignore what the public sentiment is. Maybe they can ignore the polls, but this would be a signal victory.”
But voters in liberal, blue-state Oregon overwhelmingly voted “no” on the proposal by 60 percent to 40 percent. Governor Ted Kulongoski (D) whined after the stunning loss, “What happened was the tobacco industry bought the election.” On the contrary, voters understood the fallacy of the proposal… more government interference in healthcare at an expensive price.
Rest assured, if the outcome in Oregon had been the other way, the big-spenders would be crowing and the press would be heralding the outcome. The Wall Street Journal editorial does a great job explaining what happened. Hopefully, now members of Congress will get the message before they saddle future generations with another expensive entitlement.
Filed under: Healthcare
When so many RINO’s in Congress are more liberal than the ultra-leftist Democrats, you can bet without question taxpayers are going to be footing the bill to pay the health costs of more of the wealthy.
Since socialized medicine is a priority for Democrats, as long as they are the majority and with the help of the RINO’s, it will be our future.
Indeed. It is not helpful that Senators Grassley and Hatch are holding hands with the big-government crowd and are leading the charge to socialized medicine. They have been in Washington far too long.
[...] Libby Wright wrote an interesting post today on SCHIP-Lite Fails in OregonHere’s a quick excerptAs I write, serious arm twisting is going on in Washington to get a veto-proof re-authorization of SCHIP, or the State Children’s Health Insurance Program. SCHIP’s original purpose was to assist low-income families without health … [...]
I do not understand how SCHIP threatens “socialized medicine” when it funds through third party payors, i.e. insurance companies or existing programs. Is Medicare, then, not “socialized medicine”?
Absolutely Medicare is socialized medicine as it is run by the government, in spite of the fact it funds the program through third party payers. Government bureaucrats and Members of Congress decide what will be covered and what will not, and they decide the reimbursement price. Unlike those that participate in private health insurance, senior citizens have NO WHERE else to go for their insurance coverage.
Medicare is a system that is going broke — fast. The Medicare Trustees issued its first ever funding warning, which requires the President to propose and Congress to consider legislation to address Medicare’s growing costs. Have pity on our children and grandchildren who will pay for this soon-to-be-bankrupt legacy of Lyndon Johnson and the Great Society. It needs reform NOW.
Here is a great column on Medicare and how senior citizens have been denied the right to purchase private care — plus how over the years Medicare has become more controlling, as all socialized medicine programs do, because government programs are hardly ever efficient. http://www.cato.org/pubs/pas/pa601.pdf
Plus, doesn’t the AMA have their lobbyists pressing their case about their low reimbursement rates and heavy handiness before Congress all the time? If it was a private program, why are they going to government officials to ask for more money? http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/6583.html
Not gov’t-run/ socialized medicine? Paleeeeze.