Obama signs bill extending kids' health insurance

[me]

Obama signs bill extending kids' health insurance

Obama signs SCHIP legislation at the White House in Washington Reuters – U.S. President Barack Obama signs the $32.8 billion expansion of the State Children's Health Insurance ...
WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama on Wednesday signed a bill extending health coverage to 4 million uninsured children, a move he called a first step toward fulfilling a campaign pledge to provide insurance for all Americans. It was a victory for Obama a day after his nominee to shepherd his broad health care agenda stepped aside amid tax problems.

Obama used an ebullient East Room signing ceremony to continue his push for his plan that would provide universal health insurance, even as he spent much of the previous day admitting he "screwed up" in naming former Sen. Tom Daschle to spearhead the health care overhaul. He wrapped the signing event in another pitch for his separate $819 billion economic plan that now is under consideration in the Senate and faces Republican opposition.

"As I think everybody here will agree, this is only the first step," Obama said of the bill that reauthorizes the State Children's Health Insurance Program.

"Because the way I see it, providing coverage to 11 million children through CHIP is a down payment on my commitment to cover every single American," he said to applause before turning to the economic recovery bill.

"It won't be easy; it won't happen all at once," Obama said. "But this bill that I'm about to sign, that wasn't easy either."

Obama and his advisers see the economic crisis as his window to push through many of his campaign pledges. Renewable energy, financial regulation and even rural Internet access all have been tied to repairing the nation's fractured economy. In the process, Obama has exposed his plan to criticism and questions that threaten to jettison the first major legislation his team has assembled.

"I refuse to accept that millions of our children fail to reach their full potential because we fail to meet their basic needs. In a decent society, there are certain obligations that are not subject to trade-offs or negotiations, and health care for our children is one of those obligations," Obama said, signaling he was readying for a fight.

Obama has faced a difficult week, his second full one in office. Daschle, the former Senate Democratic leader, withdrew his nomination as secretary of health and human services after acknowledging he failed to pay taxes on a car and driver provided by a Democratic fundraiser. His departure also left in the president's team a large gap for someone to usher through sweeping reform Obama has promised.

The children's health bill calls for spending an additional $32.8 billion on SCHIPI, which now enrolls an estimated 7 million children. Lawmakers generated that revenue by raising the federal tobacco tax.

Health officials project that there are about 8 million to 9 million uninsured children in the United States.

The bill went to the White House fresh from passage in the Democratic-controlled House, on a vote of 290-135. Forty Republicans joined in approval.

Most Republicans, though, criticized the cost of the legislation. They also said it will mean an estimated 2.4 million children who otherwise would have access to private insurance will join the State Children's Health Insurance Program instead.

"The Democrats continue to push their government-run health care agenda — universal coverage, as they call it," said Rep. Pete Sessions, R-Texas.

The bill's passages has long been a top priority of Democratic lawmakers. In late 2007, President George W. Bush twice vetoed similar bills. The Senate passed the same bill last week. Obama made it a top priority in his first 100 days and one step in his push for universal coverage by the end of his first term.

"President Obama and Congress are demonstrating that change has come to Washington, and we are moving forward to improve the quality of life for American families struggling during these hard times," said Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee.

SCHIP was created more than a decade ago to help children in families with incomes too high to qualify for Medicaid but too low to afford private coverage.

Federal money for the program was set to expire March 31, barring action by Congress. To cover the increase in spending, the bill would boost the federal excise tax on a pack of cigarettes by 62 cents, to $1.01 a pack.

Opponents of the bill complained that the tobacco tax increase hits the poor the hardest, because they are more likely to smoke than wealthier people. Many also took exception to expanding the program and Medicaid to children of newly arrived legal immigrants.

Republicans said that they supported SCHIP and providing additional money for the program. However, they argued that Democrats were taking the program beyond its original intent and encouraging states to cover middle-class families who otherwise could get private insurance.

"This debate is about, do we want a children's health insurance program that covers every child in America with state and federal dollars regardless of their ability to pay?" said Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas. "Do we want to freeze out the private sector for health insurance?"

But supporters said that ensuring children had access to adequate health care was a matter of priorities. Rep. Frank Pallone, D-N.J., said an estimated 4 million people have lost employer-sponsored insurance in the past year.

"Do they keep their families' health insurance or do they put food on the table at night? During this economic recession, these kinds of decisions are unfortunately becoming more common," Pallone said.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090205/ap_on_go_pr_wh/children_s_health

Hum, this bill is supported by raising taxes on cigarettes but yet they are banning smoking everywhere and pushing smoking cessation programs.  Does this mean all of a sudden smoking is going to have to become an accepted thing?  If everyone quits smoking how are they going to finance this?  Does anyone else see a problem here or is it just me?   

[Sandy Eggo]

Hum, this bill is supported by raising taxes on cigarettes but yet they are banning smoking everywhere and pushing smoking cessation programs.  Does this mean all of a sudden smoking is going to have to become an accepted thing?

No one who really cares about their health accepts smoking and I doubt this bill will change that.

 If everyone quits smoking how are they going to finance this? 

Why don't you take out an ad and rally all your smoker friends and try it? If it works, then I imagine they'll have to find another way to fund the program, meanwhile y'all have kicked your habit. It's a win/win.

Does anyone else see a problem here or is it just me?  

Not me

I like the health plan, but I'm wondering if it's going to be a boost to the economy or a drain. What do you guys think?

[me]

No one who really cares about their health accepts smoking and I doubt this bill will change that.

Why don't you take out an ad and rally all your smoker friends and try it? If it works, then I imagine they'll have to find another way to fund the program, meanwhile y'all have kicked your habit. It's a win/win.

Not me

I like the health plan, but I'm wondering if it's going to be a boost to the economy or a drain. What do you guys think?

I not only think it will be a drain on the economy I think it will be so tied in a knot that it will be worthless.  Maybe they'll start taxing alcoholic beverages too and add a dollar or two tax per bottle onto your Carona. (sp) 

[kimmi]

I like the health plan, but I'm wondering if it's going to be a boost to the economy or a drain. What do you guys think?

If we can insure children so they can get preventable medicine, it will save our economy.  Sick children without insurance going to hospital emergency rooms is a burden on our health insurance.  With the unemployment rate rising, you would think that people would appreciate this as something to fall back on.  You might not be able to afford health insurance, but at least your kids will be covered.

[Exterminator]

Does anyone else see a problem here or is it just me?   

It's just you; obviously you don't agree with attempting to provide health care for the same children that you claim to care so much about while they're in the womb.

[Exterminator]

I not only think it will be a drain on the economy I think it will be so tied in a knot that it will be worthless.

That's why no one asks you.

[me]

It's just you; obviously you don't agree with attempting to provide health care for the same children that you claim to care so much about while they're in the womb.

But to fund it with something they're trying to ban don't make sense.  They added tax on cigarettes to fund it.  Now if everyone quits smoking where is the money going to come from?  That's what I was seeing a problem with.

[Exterminator]

But to fund it with something they're trying to ban don't make sense.  They added tax on cigarettes to fund it.  Now if everyone quits smoking where is the money going to come from?  That's what I was seeing a problem with.

They aren't trying to ban cigarettes and never will.  People will continue to smoke and paying an additional few cents a pack won't affect that but it is a good way to fund a program like this.

Your issue is that you'll find a potential problem with whatever Obama proposes whereas Bush could've stomped puppies to death on national television and you'd have defended it as necessary for 'security'.

[me]

They aren't trying to ban cigarettes and never will.  People will continue to smoke and paying an additional few cents a pack won't affect that but it is a good way to fund a program like this.

Your issue is that you'll find a potential problem with whatever Obama proposes whereas Bush could've stomped puppies to death on national television and you'd have defended it as necessary for 'security'.

Maybe they aren't banning cigarettes as such but they are banning smoking just about everywhere  and pushing smoking cessation programs, making it hard to get health insurance, and some places of employment won't even hire smokers.  There aren't enough smokers to fund a program like this fully and there will be even less because a lot of people will quit rather than pay over $5 a pk for them whether you think so or not. 

[Exterminator]

There aren't enough smokers to fund a program like this fully and there will be even less because a lot of people will quit rather than pay over $5 a pk for them whether you think so or not. 

You're high.

[Exterminator]

Even if there were not enough smokers to cover the cost (and there are plenty) or the number of smokers who will quit because of the increased tax (yeah, right) creates a shortfall, your opposition to using federal money to make sure that every child in this country has access to adequate health care while you claim to be such a supporter of the rights of the unborn is the absolute epitome of hypocrisy.

[me]

Even if there were not enough smokers to cover the cost (and there are plenty) or the number of smokers who will quit because of the increased tax (yeah, right) creates a shortfall, your opposition to using federal money to make sure that every child in this country has access to adequate health care while you claim to be such a supporter of the rights of the unborn is the absolute epitome of hypocrisy.

I think you need to reread my comment.  I didn't say a thing about objecting to the health care I object to the method of paying for it.  Not because I'm a smoker but because the revenue may not be there if they continue to ban smoking and making it impossible to afford cigarettes.  A lot of people may not quit but they will most likely cut way back. 

[Exterminator]

Considering some of the worthless crap on which the government spends money and the hundreds of billions we've spent on Bush's unnecessary war in Iraq, I don't give a shite how it's paid for.  It's disgraceful that in a country as rich as ours, even one child should go without preventative health care.  That many of the same who continue to support our action in Iraq are questioning this relatively minor expense only shows how absolutely fu@ked up some people's priorities are.

[me]

Then on the other hand I know some people with kids who don't have insurance and they get help through private funded sources and their Dr. gives them a break on his fee since they have no insurance.