Baldwin Votes to Renew Kids' Coverage

Press Release

Baldwin Votes to Renew Kids' Coverage

Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin today voted to renew and strengthen the State Children's Health Insurance Plan (SCHIP), known as BadgerCare in Wisconsin, which passed in the House (265-159) despite the threat of a Presidential veto. The measure

(HR 976), will bring health coverage to approximately ten million children in need - preserving coverage for all 6.6 million children currently covered by SCHIP, and reaching approximately 4 million more low-income, uninsured American children in the next five years. The bill enjoys wide, bipartisan support in both the House and the Senate (which is expected to pass it later this week). SCHIP's current authorization expires on September 30.

BadgerCare has helped thousands of low-income children in Wisconsin; and thousands more stand to benefit if this bill becomes law. In 2006, 63,000 children were uninsured in the state, down from 90,000 in 2005. It's estimated that 37,800 more Wisconsin children would gain health coverage under the renewal bill.

A staunch advocate of health care for all, Congresswoman Baldwin said, "This is a basic question of right and wrong. It is simply wrong to deny any children in this country access to health care because their parents lack insurance or have a low income. The majority of Congress recognizes that. The majority of the American people recognize that. President Bush, who touted his compassion when running for office, has no justification to veto this bill. He must not use children as pawns in his political games."

Despite the threat of a presidential veto, House and Senate negotiators agreed to reauthorize the State Children's Health Insurance Program, invest an additional $35 billion over five years to strengthen SCHIP's financing, increase health insurance coverage for low-income children, and improve the quality of health care children receive.

Besides extending and expanding coverage to more children, this bipartisan agreement provides quality dental coverage to all children enrolled in SCHIP and ensures states will offer mental health services on par with medical and surgical benefits covered under SCHIP.

The agreement allows states to extend coverage to pregnant women and to cover low-income parents under a separate block grant.

Recent census data shows the number of uninsured in the country going up. The number of middle class families of four who now go without health insurance continues to rise.

Baldwin said, "In our current health care crisis, middle class children are now the forgotten victims. Working parents must not be driven into bankruptcy by high medical bills, nor should their children go without medical care. We need to expand coverage to more kids and we need to let the states cover all families in need.

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