With a U.S. House vote pending to override the Bush veto of the
re-authorization and expansion of the State Children's Health Insurance Program, the regional director of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services sent out a last-minute letter he hoped would be published quickly. It made the case for the veto.
Here's what Brian Golden argued in the email I received late Tuesday:
The State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) is an important program that President Bush wants to see renewed. SCHIP provides health care for children in families living below 200 percent of the poverty level, but who do not qualify for Medicaid.
But many in Congress want SCHIP to become a radically different program, one that provides public assistance not just to the neediest of American children but to middle-class children, many of whom already have private insurance. President Bush rejected Congress’s massive expansion of SCHIP because it is bad for America’s health care system.
The President has made clear his commitment to ensuring that no children currently on SCHIP lose their coverage and that all those eligible can be enrolled. But the program should remain focused on those who need it most. It was not created for adults, it was not created for children who already have health insurance, it was not created for affluent families – it was created for poor children.
Congress knew the President would not sign the bill they sent him. But scoring political points – instead of passing meaningful legislation – was the priority on Capitol Hill. Now it’s time to get something done.
My point in sharing this is to wonder why Golden bothered to send a letter like this to Vermont? Who was he trying to reach? The state's congressional delegation is committed to the SCHIP program -- not surprising since they are two Democrats and an independent. But more politically interesting is the fact that Republican Gov. Jim Douglas also supports the program and thinks the president is wrong.As to Golden's accusation that this was all about scoring political points -- DUH! -- but members of Congress aren't the only players in the game.
-- Nancy
Remsen
