Pediatricians stand up for SCHIP
Hundreds of pediatricians nationwide recently took to lobbying and the
airwaves encouraging President George Bush to rethink his planned veto of the
State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). The bill which passed both
houses of Congress reauthorized and expanded the federal program implemented in
1997 to cover uninsured children who don't qualify for Medicaid. The 10-year
program expired Sept. 30, 2007. President Bush vetoed it and there were not
enough votes in Congress to override it.
About 6.6 million children per year whose families make
too much money to qualify for Medicaid rely on SCHIP coverage for their basic
medical needs; the new bill would have renewed the program for five years and extend coverage to
an additional 4 million children. President Bush has said the $35 billion bill
is too expensive and goes too far toward federalizing health care.
Although individual pediatric residents have been writing letters and calling
their legislators, encouraging them to first vote for and then to overturn a
presidential veto of the SCHIP reauthorization bill, they recently decided the
issue was so important that they should mount a more visible, public effort.
“Resident physicians at Children's Memorial encounter children covered by
Illinois' SCHIP program daily. If SCHIP funding is disrupted it will
significantly alter these kids' ability to access high quality pediatric care,”
said Thomas Schuch, MD, a senior pediatric resident at Children's Memorial.
“It is really hard to believe what is happening in Washington,” said
Elizabeth Hansen, MD, also a pediatric resident. “This is really a time for
pediatricians to advocate for better healthcare for their patients.”
Though the program officially expired on Sept. 30, emergency funds currently
allow the program to continue at least for the time being.
Congress has already passed legislation which would reauthorize and expand
the program by adding $35 billion over five years, and covering an additional 4
million children — a plan funded by raising the federal cigarette tax by 61
cents to $1 per pack.
For more information contact Public Affairs, 773-880-4500.