Rep. Dingell Expected To Introduce Legislation That Would Address SCHIP Program Deficit

Main Category: Public Health
Article Date: 21 Sep 2006 - 11:00 PDT

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House Energy and Commerce Committee ranking member John Dingell (D-Mich.) on Tuesday plans to introduce a bill to address expected SCHIP budget deficits in fiscal year 2007, CongressDaily reports. The legislation, co-sponsored by Reps. John Barrow (D-Ga.) and Leonard Boswell (D-Iowa), would require the HHS secretary to provide states with funds equal to their expected SCHIP budget deficits in FY 2007 (Lee, CongressDaily, 9/19). According to estimates from CMS, the Congressional Research Service and other analysts, as many as 18 states will have a combined $800 million to $950 million in SCHIP budget deficits in FY 2007 (CQ HealthBeat, 9/18). Dingell in a statement said, "Congress should not leave to campaign for the 2006 elections without passing this legislation," adding, "To do so would send the wrong message to children and their families as to where they are on Congress' priority list" (CongressDaily, 9/19). In a letter sent to lawmakers on Monday, a coalition of more than 80 health care and consumer groups -- such as the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Public Health Association and the March of Dimes -- said that Congress should take "immediate action" to address expected SCHIP budget deficits in FY 2007. According to the letter, "SCHIP funding shortfalls could add even more children to the ranks of the uninsured" (CQ HealthBeat, 9/18).

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