Insurance Quotes & Advice

The State Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization continues to be bogged down in a political struggle between the President and the Democrat led Congress. The House of Representatives failed to override the President’s previous veto and last Thursday passed a new bill H.R. 3963 that will go before the president.

The White house released this Statement of Administration Policy concerning the new bill reiterating their opposition unless significant changes are made. Meanwhile the former Vermont Governor and Chairman of the Democratic National Committee Howard Dean called on Congressional Republicans to support Democrats in opposition to President Bush’s veto.

At the heart of the struggle are the states ability to set the program’s income limits in determining who would be covered under the program. While both parties are in favor of expanding coverage, President Bush is vehemently opposed to a situation where families are migrating from privately funded health insurance programs to a publicly funded program.

Another key factor is that while the President recommends a $5 Billion increase in funding, Congress has authorized an additional $35 Billion for the program.  Currently the program covers about 6 million children with new bill expected to expand coverage to an additional 4 million by 2012.

Unless something drastic happens soon, it is becoming increasingly unlikely that reauthorization will occur before the end of the current Congressional Session.