Congress To Address Economic Stimulus, SCHIP Early In 2009

Main Category: Medicare / Medicaid / SCHIP
Article Date: 25 Nov 2008 - 12:00 PDT

email to a friend   printer friendly   view / write opinions

Democratic congressional leaders in early January 2009 plan to work on several bills -- such as an economic stimulus package and legislation that would expand SCHIP -- to allow President-elect Barack Obama to sign the measures soon after he takes office on Jan. 20, 2009, according to individuals familiar with the situation, the AP/Austin American-Statesman reports. According to the AP/American-Statesman, the issues "have been the focus of battles between the Democrats in Congress" and President Bush, and "Democratic plans to prepare legislation before Obama takes office depend on the cooperation of Senate Republicans," who will "have enough strength to slow the matters that must be settled before committees can begin to work and to impede the progress of legislation."

Bush last year vetoed two bills that would have expanded SCHIP amid concerns that the legislation would have provided coverage for children in middle-income families rather than focus on children in lower-income families. Congress sustained both vetoes (Espo, AP/Austin American-Statesman, 11/23).

Reprinted with kind permission from http://www.kaisernetwork.org. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at http://www.kaisernetwork.org/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork.org, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation.

© 2008 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.