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DEL.ICIO.USSCHIP: Negotiations are race against the clock
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Even as President Bush prepares to veto for a second time legislation that funds the States Children’s Health Insurance Program, congressional Republicans and Democrats are negotiating privately on a third version of the bill.
Democrats are still trying to get about 15 House Republicans to support a new version of the bill so Congress can override an expected third Bush veto. At the same time, Democrats are only willing to go so far in changing the legislation that is a top election issue for their party.
So far, there’s been little meaningful progress in those negotiations even though SCHIP, known in Georgia as PeachCare, could run out of money next Friday, said Rep. Nathan Deal, a Clermont Republican who is sitting in on the negotiations.
“There still are major issues that separate both sides and some of those issues are not even being addressed,” said Deal, who continues to oppose the Democrats’ bill.
Democrats continue to insist that SCHIP be expanded by $35 billion, insure 10 million children and be funded by a tobacco tax, positions most House Republicans reject.
“They may be ready to make some changes. The question is if those changes are serious enough,” said Deal, who involved in the meetings because he’s the top Republican on a subcommittee that oversees SCHIP. “There are still major philosophical differences.”
Rep. Tom Price, a Roswell Republican who submitted an alternative SCHIP bill that Democrats ignored, isn’t sound very hopeful about passing a new bill.
“We certainly haven’t been impressed by the Democrats’ efforts to include some of the principles we’re interested in,” Price said.
One such GOP request is to insure 90 percent to 95 percent of the children living in homes with incomes of about $40,000 a year before allowing any higher-income families to enroll. Such a provision, however, would make it difficult for Democrats to use SCHIP to insure an additional 4 million children, for total of 10 million insured kids.
Meanwhile, over at the PeachCare office in Atlanta, Amanda Seals said officials are suffering through another déjà vu. They can only hope that Congress will act before the temporary agreement that has kept the program running since Oct. 1 runs out of money next Friday.
“For us, if they don’t pass another (temporary funding measure) or a bill the president can sign our program goes away,” she said.
Comments
By Be Strong
November 7, 2007 5:32 PM | Link to this
Be strong, Tom Price, Saxby, Johnny and Jim Marshall. We don’t need to make sure the children of working families have health insurance. Their parents need to find jobs that make more money. Work part-time jobs if you have to. So some children will fall through the cracks and get severely ill with no safety net. We need tax dollars spent on defense and the priorities of our democratically-elected President. Our conservative values tell us tax money isn’t for entitlements.
If PeachCare collapses, then it collapses. So be it.
By jacksmith
November 8, 2007 5:28 AM | Link to this
For the first time in the history of America. The life expectancy of today’s children is less than that of their parents. This is catastrophic. And our infant mortality is equal to that of a third world country. Current U.S. adult life expectancy is down from #1 to #42. And dropping fast. These facts are what is known as EXTINCTION! indicators. These are the early signs of the final phase of the EXTINCTION of the American people.
You have to take the profit motive out of health care delivery. The profit motive does not work with health care. Or any other essential public service like police, and fire. The sooner everyone faces this truth. The sooner you will be able to adopt a real solution to the problem. The days of paying for health care out of pocket are at an end. Just like the mob days of paying for protection out of pocket came to an end.
HR 676 is the way to go. Single payer Universal National Health Care For All. Medicare for all. Accept no substitutes. The sooner you face this. The sooner you begin to heal the Cancer of private for profit medicine that is destroying this entire society. Other developed countries realized this years ago. It’s a no-brainer now. See sickocure.org
Money, greed, and the profit motive has just decimated health care in America. And killed, and injured millions needlessly. Just for profit. But that is what large amounts of money, greed, and a lust for power always does. No one is immune from this corrupting power. The smart ones know this. And avoid letting them-self be put in compromising positions. But that is easier said. Than done. And very few succeed.
Most in the US go into medicine primarily to become wealthy. That is who the medical schools mostly choose. Most of the medical schools faculty are in bed with the drug companies, and others. And like the story of Dr. Faustus. They end up selling their soles. One compromise at a time. Until Lucifer owns them.
In medicine. Compromised care means. Injury, disability, and death. It’s sad really. But HR 676 can fix this disgrace. Like it has in other developed countries. The only question is. How many more millions will be hurt, injured, and killed. And how many more of your children will die before their time. Before we fix this disgrace of private for profit health care in America.
I realize there will be a few people that have what they believe is good health care coverage. Who will want to opt out of a single payer system like HR 676. But let me remind you we rank # 37 in quality of health care for all. Down from #1. Never the less. A few opting out is not a problem. As long as all other Americans are automatically covered at birth through life. Unless they choose to opt out of HR 676. The government takes out 1.4% from your paycheck now for Medicare. All they have to do is substitute for HR 676 what they now take out of your paychecks for private health insurance. Remember, we already spend more on health care than any other country in the world. Right Now. We are being ripped off. And raped.
The SCHIP program is a desperately needed program for Americas children. But with the impending EXTINCTION of Americas children. And their current catastrophic health care condition. SCHIP needs to be extended to cover all of Americas children, immediately. Parents should have no hesitations, or financial worries about seeking medical care for their children. Whenever they have any concerns about their children’s health. Especially in the richest country in the world. I would submit that any President, or politician that fails to do this for the children. Betrays their most solemn oath to protect the American people. Especially when you consider that all other developed countries have done this. And that we are the richest country in the world.
So get on it America. Get it done. You have been doing great over the past several months. Keep it up. And step it up. You have to force it, and take it. It’s the right fight, and the right thing to do. Now is the time… Take no prisoners.
By Producer
November 8, 2007 9:15 AM | Link to this
What is “desperately needed” is a healthcare system that is built entirely on free market competition. Do your kids need health insurance? Have the parents pay for it, not me. Can afford it? Don’t have the kids in the first place. Pretty damn simple. The fact of the matter is the reason our healthcare costs are spiraling out of control is that we ask the producers of society to pay for the healthcare of the non-productive, ever-demanding, parasitic “pooooooooooor.” The poor are breaking this country. It isn’t the job of any other person to pay for anything in your life.
By Iron Mike
November 8, 2007 9:19 AM | Link to this
jacksmith @ 5:28 a.m.:
It’s too bad that you equate “profit motive” with greed. America produces the best rocket ships, airplanes, and software in the world—and the government (“single payer”) isn’t responsible for it.
Cuba has a single payer system, and yet their life expectancy is shorter that the U.S. The U.K. also has a single payer system and the life expectancy is just 6 months longer than in the U.S. And we have better teeth.
Earlier this week, liberal Oregon rejected a “Healthy Kids” SCHIP program modeled after the one proposed by Democrats in the U.S. Congress.
People inherently know that government is ineffective at efficiently running most large scale operations such as health care.
That you would employ “Dr. Faustus” and “Lucifer” to discredit the free enterprise system only discredits you.
By justsaying
November 9, 2007 7:58 PM | Link to this
Producer, what about he people who had jobs, had kids, and then they lost their jobs because everything is being manufactured overseas. Or they lost their jobs and their savings because their CEO was corrupt and drove their company into the ground. or that pension they were counting on dried up. or a child is in a debilitating accident and one or both parents has to leave a job to provide round the clock care. are these the parasitic “pooooooor” you refer to? how about how the cost of healthcare insurance is going up faster than other standard of living costs. someone who can afford it today might not be able to afford it next year. One way or another, all of society pays for the sick. we’re better off paying the cost upfront for preventitive care that will keep people HEALTHY and control chronic conditions like diabetes than paying on teh back end when the sick and uninsured end up unable to work, and in the hospital for complex and expensive treatment. we all pay for that—you pay for that when you go to the ER for a few stitches and they charge you $2,000.
By justsaying again
November 9, 2007 8:08 PM | Link to this
a post script to my comment… one way to look at it if you’re not of the warm and fuzzy liberal persuasion: the sick (and poor and old, etc) are burdensome, but the better you take care of them, the less burdensome they are. it cost less to keep something working than to wait until it’s broken and then have to fix it.