Pick a Card, Any Card
October 26th, 2007 at 5:40 pm
There’s something about White House pronouncements these days that come off like offers from a three-card monte dealer.
Take the the political tussle over renewing the popular Children’s Health Insurance Program. The political grenade-throwing over CHIP continued this week in D.C.
The White House signaled its willingness to budge from its hard line and at least talk about raising CHIP eligibility above 200 percent of the poverty level. That’s about $40,000 a year for a family of four. Congress wants families earning up to 300 percent — roughly $62,000 for a family of four — eligible for CHIP.
The White House offer seemed like a first step toward compromise. But read the fine print.
Here’s the caveat: Under the White House offer, states could expand CHIP to families earning more than 200 percent if — and only if — the states first prove that at least 95 percent of kids from families earning below 200 percent were enrolled.
The White House contends this provision would ensure the poorest kids have access to CHIP before the program expands to wealthier families.
Sounds reasonable. But it’s a trap.
The 95 percent rule is an impossible standard. No state comes anywhere close to enrolling that high a percentage and no state likely ever will. Even if they tried, they couldn’t afford it — the president’s own budget doesn’t currently allocate enough money to enroll 95 percent of kids below 200 percent.
The 95 percent requirement is a backdoor way of keeping the program at 200 percent. And the administration knows it.
With disingenuous offers like that on the table, it’s a safe bet that the political bickering over CHIP will continue.
October 28th, 2007 at 8:43 am
Graven in New Haven
BrUSHing aside the terrified nurse!
Excited physcian feared something much worse!
Examining the new born boy -
Lurid surgery he did immediately employ!
Zealous well beyond usual medical etiquette!
Excising secretly in the hospital in Connecticut!
But the child did fiendishly wail -
Unassuaged until the end of October the demonic gale -
Baby George W had lost his long forked tail?
7-6-46 = 6-6-6 ?
A tale of child health care gone so terribly wrong?
Hubert Wilson
October 28th, 2007 at 10:13 am
Perhaps the SCHIPS bill isn’t that good as it stands, perhaps it could use some modification?
Might be a good idea to stop the state from funding adult medical care from money alloted for childern.
Perhaps we could use a bit more problem solving and a lot less name calling.
November 5th, 2007 at 2:37 pm
[…] cited “votes that infuriate” like Cornyn’s insistence on opposing the S-CHIP bill in even its most diluted form. Musselman said Cornyn is in “lock-step with the president, who […]