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Children's health insurance expansion gathering steam

Posted by Lisa Wangsness, Political Reporter January 13, 2009 01:43 PM

WASHINGTON -- Congress appears to be moving ahead quickly on a reauthorization of the State Children's Health Insurance Plan, which covers 6.7 million poor and low-income children nationwide and will expire in March.

President Bush twice vetoed expansions of the program that passed Congress with broad bipartisan support in 2007, saying they cost too much and expanded the program beyond its mission to serve as a last-resort option for the poorest kids.

A quick vote could provide momentum for President-elect Barack Obama, who supports the program and campaigned on a proposal to require all children to have some form of health insurance. Congress is not moving nearly so quickly to embrace the economic stimulus proposals Obama wants passed.

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus today released an outline of his $31.5 billion, 4.5-year proposal, which he said his committee would take up tomorrow. The House is considering its own version.

Baucus's proposal would provide health insurance to 3.9 million additional uninsured, low-income children. The expansion would be paid for by increasing the cigarette tax by 61 cents to $1 a pack.

The money would help expand the program at a time when states, which pick up a portion of the costs, are under serious budget constraints and the unemployment rate is at its highest level in 16 years.

"The Children’s Health Insurance Program is needed now more than ever," Baucus said in a statement. "In these tough economic times, more and more parents can’t afford health coverage for their kids. But CHIP can get uninsured, low-income kids the doctors’ visits and medicines they need to stay healthy."

Baucus's bill does not lift a ban on Medicaid and SCHIP for children and pregnant women who are legal immigrants during their first five years in the country, but he said he looks forward to discussing how to do that as the bill moves toward final approval. The House wants to include such a provision, as the Wall Street Journal reported this morning.

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This bill has one major weakness: SCHIP will be funded by a 200% tax increase on most smokers, but also adds a MASSIVE tax increase on one of the poorest of the poor minority groups in the U.S., a group that's poorer on average than blacks, hispanics, seniors, or single moms. I'm speaking of smokers who cannot afford to buy regular cigarettes but who simply buy loose tobacco and roll their own. - -

This minority group will be hit with a TWO THOUSAND PERCENT TAX INCREASE if Obama signs SCHIP: taxes on rolling loose tobacco will go from about $1/lb to almost $25/lb. This tax will pour huge amounts of money into the black market, increasing law enforcement and prison spending, and send more money into supporting the next terrorist strike on America. - - -

This bill should NOT be supported until the taxation to support it is shared among ALL Americans who love children... not just smokers. - - -

Michael J. McFadden
Author of "Dissecting Antismokers' Brains"

Posted by Michael J. McFadden January 17, 09 12:54 AM
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I posted the following roughly 24 hours ago, and yet Boston.com is still showing "0 Comments." Surely my writing isn't THAT dangerous...

-----

This bill has one major weakness: SCHIP will be funded by a 200% tax increase on most smokers, but also adds a MASSIVE tax increase on one of the poorest of the poor minority groups in the U.S., a group that's poorer on average than blacks, hispanics, seniors, or single moms. I'm speaking of smokers who cannot afford to buy regular cigarettes but who simply buy loose tobacco and roll their own. - -

This minority group will be hit with a TWO THOUSAND PERCENT TAX INCREASE if Obama signs SCHIP: taxes on rolling loose tobacco will go from about $1/lb to almost $25/lb. This tax will pour huge amounts of money into the black market, increasing law enforcement and prison spending, and send more money into supporting the next terrorist strike on America. - - -

This bill should NOT be supported until the taxation to support it is shared among ALL Americans who love children... not just smokers. - - -

Michael J. McFadden
Author of "Dissecting Antismokers' Brains"

Posted by Michael J. McFadden January 18, 09 12:45 AM
.

Our govenment doesn't seem to grasp the concept that all of America is having to deal with right now. In the current economic climate, every household in America is having to cut costs in order to remain solvent. This means everything. But somehow, our politicians in charge believe that raising taxes on Americans will stimulate the economy. I am a smoker. I recently became a "make your own" smoker, and i can tell you that a 2200% tax on tobacco will make me a non-smoker. I choose to smoke, and I pay for my health insurance as well as the insurance for my children because I'm responsible. Drive away the tobacco industry and many Americans will believe you've done a valuable service. The problem is that as you do this, and Americans quit smoking, the tax revenue will go away and it's not a long distance away from coffee being the next evil, or fast foot, or donuhts or, or alcohold, or candy. After all, none of the above are "good" for you and all could be deemed the next sin by the American public and politico. I have another idea. Maybe the government should figure out a way for poor people to move upwards, or for insurance to be affordable, or better yet, stop paying for abortions overseas and start helping the living children in the US. I just love how democrats can be for abortion and for required children's healthcare. How can a government be for killing the healthy unborn and not wanting the sick living to die.Sounds calous and mixed up. Guilt??? Stop picking on smokers because you believe they're wrong. Tax everyone equally, not those who you don't agree with. FLAT TAX!!!

Posted by wesalexleft February 4, 09 11:09 AM
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