Finally, health insurance program for American children
US President Barack Obama signed the extension of State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), now the so-called Children’s Health Insurance Bill after having been approved by the US House of Representatives, according to the New York Times. This is a major victory for those who have been campaigning for the bill for several years which former President Bush strongly opposed. Similar bills have been vetoed by the former administration. With the extension of the bill also comes some expansion, namely:
- The bill covers not only citizens but legal immigrants who are under 21 and who are pregnant. Immigrants were previously not qualified for Medicaid.
- Dental care for children.
- Mental and physical illnesses equally – the so-called “mental health parity.”
Proponents of the bill are happy and see this as a first step towards major reforms in the US health care system. Opponents think such a bill too closely resembles “socialized medicine” or “government-run health care for every one” including those who can afford private health insurance coverage. In addition, this will cost taxpayers a lot of money.
As a European resident, I am not really involved in American politics but the health care problem is an issue that I’ve been following closely. Most European countries have universal health care systems and we Europeans tend to take medical care for granted. Regardless of how the health care reforms turn out, I’m just glad that children and pregnant women now have access to health care in a time of recession.
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Melissa H says...
Children and pregnant women in need of health care never were with out. The medicaid program covered any child that did not have care and any pregnant woman who did not have care. One of the things that seems to be forgotten in so many of the statistics that get bounced around is the fact that a large number of people who are eligible never bother to sign up. Also irregardless of the fact that the system is really set up for the LEGAL citizen or immigrant the workers cannot deny a claim if the individual does not offer a social security number…. IT IS NOT LEGAL. So the ILLEGAL immigrants are getting their health care paid for too. I guess I do not feel that this new bill is a step in the right direction as it only makes the laws more lax. As a Department of Human services worker I see this as a step in the wrong direction, especially in a time of recession.
Amybee says...
SCHIP usually covers children who do NOT qualify for Medicaid, and from what I’ve read, there are millions falling under this category. In many states,Medicaid does NOT cover families making $42,000; the problem is that so many families in this income bracket CANNOT afford private insurance, either.
Thank God this country is starting to put American children first. The previous administartion spent and wasted at least 3 trillion dollars on the unjust, illegal war in Iraq. What a waste…we could have built 16.6 million Habitat for Humanity houses with the $$ spent in Iraq (there are a million ways to have better spent the money). Unfortunately, this president has the tough job of cleaning up the mess that was 8 years in the making by his predecessor. I’d rather be in debt from taking care of children than destroying another nation (Iraq). Proper health care now will prevent future health problems/illnesses later.