It now heads to the Senate where lawmakers are working on an entirely different approach to re-authorize what is known as the Children’s Health Insurance Program, often called CHIP. Only three Democrats supported the measure.
The House bill would pay for extending CHIP by cutting $10.5 billion from a program created by Obamacare that helps finance improvements in the public health system. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention receives a large chunk of money from that program.
In addition, the bill increases Medicare premiums for the wealthiest seniors.
Republicans Pat Tiberi of Genoa Twp., Jim Jordan of Urbana, Bill Johnson of Marietta, Steve Stivers of Upper Arlington, Mike Turner of Dayton and Bob Gibbs of Lakeville supported it, while Democrats Joyce Beatty of Columbus, Marcia Fudge of Cleveland, Marcy Kaptur of Toledo and Tim Ryan of Niles opposed the measure.
Beatty complained the children’s health program “has fallen prey to partisan politics, and many children and families will suffer as a result. Instead of forcing draconian cuts on community health programs that help at-risk Americans and countless working families in exchange for CHIP funding, Congress needs to focus on providing all Americans access to affordable, high-quality healthcare.”
With the backing of Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown and Republican Sen. Rob Portman, the Senate Finance Committee last month approved its $9 billion version that would guarantee children in Ohio keep their coverage through 2019. But the Senate bill does not cut other programs to pay for their version.
Brown said “we shouldn’t be pitting Ohio seniors against Ohio kids. That’s why Senator Portman and I, and our colleagues on the finance committee, voted for a bipartisan bill that takes care of children and their families without hurting seniors.”
Portman last month called CHIP “vital” for Ohio, adding that the state’s Medicaid director warned that Ohio was “going to deplete our CHIP funding by the end of this calendar year” without additional money.
CHIP was created by Republicans and Democrats and signed by President Bill Clinton in 1997 as a way to reduce the number of low-income children without insurance.
About the Author