Statement Of The American Medical Student Association: SCHIP Override Fails

Main Category: Medicare / Medicaid / SCHIP
Also Included In: Pediatrics / Children's Health
Article Date: 22 Oct 2007 - 3:00 PDT

email to a friend   printer friendly   opinions  

The American Medical Student Association (AMSA), the nation's largest, independent medical student organization, expresses disappointment with the House of Representative for their failure to override the President's veto on the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) Reauthorization Act of 2007 (H.R. 976) and urges congressional leaders to reject compromise legislation which would ultimately leave fewer children with access to quality healthcare.

The SCHIP Reauthorization Act will increase funding of the program to $60 billion over five years. Currently the program receives $5 billion annually. The funding increase would be paid for with a 61 cent increase on the tobacco tax. In addition, states would only receive funding for children in families who earn less than 300 percent of the federal poverty level.

President Bush and his allies in Congress are expected to introduce legislation that would leave millions of eligible children without access to healthcare. Currently, there are 5.4 million uninsured children who could be covered by SCHIP, according to an analysis of Census data by the Urban Institute. Full funding for SCHIP is the only way to effectively give these children access to the medical care they need.

SCHIP was originally established in 1997 by Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) and Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) to account for the growing number of uninsured children. The program provides a capped amount of federal matching funds to states for coverage of children whose families' incomes are too high to qualify for Medicaid, but for whom private health insurance is either unavailable or unaffordable.

The SCHIP Reauthorization Act represents a bipartisan, bicameral agreement which was passed by both Houses in late September before being vetoed by President Bush on October 3, 2007.

About the American Medical Student Association

The American Medical Student Association (AMSA), with more than a half-century history of medical student activism, is the oldest and largest independent association of physicians-in-training in the United States. Founded in 1950, AMSA is a student-governed, non-profit organization committed to representing the concerns of physicians-in-training. With more than 68,000 members, including medical and premedical students, residents and practicing physicians, AMSA is committed to improving medical training as well as advancing the profession of medicine. AMSA focuses on four strategic priorities, including universal healthcare, disparities in medicine, diversity in medicine and transforming the culture of medical education. To learn more about AMSA, our strategic priorities, or joining the organization, please visit us online at http://www.amsa.org/.

• Additional
• References
• Citations