George Bush got his FISA law and his extra war money by offering a couple of “compromises” to the spineless Dems. One of them was quick passage of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program renewal. The renewal bill would increase funding of the bill by $35 billion and cover 4.1 million children by 2012, according to OpenCongress.org.For the past 6 years the Bush Administration has agreed to renew the program as is and even lauded the fact that states have been enrolling low-income adults in the program as far back as June of this year. Now, of course, the King is changing his mind. You know, because he can.
Under the new policy, a state seeking to enroll a child whose family earns more than 250 percent of the poverty level — or $51,625 for a family of four — must first ensure that the child is uninsured for at least one year. The state must also demonstrate that at least 95 percent of children from families making less than 200 percent of the poverty level have been enrolled in the children’s health insurance program or Medicaid — a sign-up rate that no state has yet managed.
So, if Dad/Mom loses his/her job and Little Billy needs the insurance that they don’t have anymore (say for Juvenile Diabetes, for instance) then Little Billy has to go for at least a YEAR with insurance before the new state insurance policy will accept him. Which puts even more burden on his parents, who don’t have the money now (thanks to job loss) and must find a way for their son to get the medication he needs to live. Compassionate? Heh.
The administrative move, announced while lawmakers are out of town during the August recess, comes after the White House has wrangled with Congress for months over the future of the $5 billion-a-year program.
The Senate and the House have passed legislation that would dramatically increase funding and make it possible to sign up millions of new children for coverage. But President Bush wants to keep the program largely unchanged and has promised to veto either bill, saying they would inappropriately increase the federal role in health care.
Ah, the ever open and honest President and Company. They make promises to get bullshit passed- bullshit that Americans are overwhelming against – and WHAM! Sorry ’bout your luck, America. But the insurance companies would suffer and we don’t want that, do we?
Administration officials outlined the new standards in a letter sent to state health officials on Friday evening, in the middle of a monthlong Congressional recess. In interviews, they said the changes were intended to return the Children’s Health Insurance Program to its original focus on low-income children and to make sure the program did not become a substitute for private health coverage.
After learning of the new policy, some state officials said yesterday that it could cripple their efforts to cover more children and would impose standards that could not be met.
“We are horrified at the new federal policy,” said Ann Clemency Kohler, deputy commissioner of human services in New Jersey. “It will cause havoc with our program and could jeopardize coverage for thousands of children.”
The program is meant to help low-income, uninsured children. The same children that aren’t eligible, because of their parents’ incomes, for Medicaid. And yet the Bush Administration, under cover of ‘darkness’, says to hell with all of them. They want to make sure that 95% of all eligible children are enrolled in Medicaid, and yet no state in the union has been able to accomplish that particular goal. The Administration is worried that this program could supplant private insurance for some families. And that’s a bad thing how?
The Children’s Health Insurance Program has strong support from governors of both parties, including Republicans like Arnold Schwarzenegger of California, Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota and Sonny Perdue of Georgia. When the Senate passed a bill to expand the program this month, 18 Republican senators voted for it, in defiance of a veto threat from Mr. Bush. The House passed a more expansive bill and will try to work out differences with the Senate when Congress reconvenes next month.
Now it’s up to Congress, once again, to show this two-bit tyrant who’s really boss. They need to come back from their vacations and vote overwhelmingly for the renewal, with added benefits. They need to tell this motherfucker to shove his late-night deal making straight up his ass. Supposedly, Republicans and Democrats were coming together for this bill. They were making compromises for the good of American children. Here’s a chance for them to smack this little man down once and for all. If they all vote FOR the bill then they will have enough votes to override his threatened veto.
Yeah, who am I kidding? We’ve got the moderates and the Blue Dogs in the King’s bedroom, on their knees and kissing his ass. When it comes time to show him that he isn’t the ultimate power in this country they’ll once again roll over and play dead.
Unless I’m wrong. Here’s keeping my fingers crossed.
On a more personal note, I am a strong proponent of Universal Health Care. I don’t think that any American citizen should suffer without health care- ever. My own family is lucky because TheMan has insurance, but we’ve recently been screwed by the insurance company. From January to June of this year I spent a lot of time sitting in doctor’s offices, trying to find out what the fuck is wrong with me. Then our insurance company decided to up the premiums and the deductible. After we had already met our deductible this year, it was raised to $1,000 per person- without the previous $350 being included. I had to cancel important appointments in June and July because we didn’t have enough money for the upfront payments (to the specialists). And though we spent $6,000 on Lil’lady’s surgery, that amount wasn’t included in our family deductible. She starts over from scratch too. Obviously I would never allow her to suffer. But what of all the millions of kids who do suffer because of the insurance SCAM?
They’re left out in the cold. Again. Compassionate conservative my fat white ass.
Take that, Poor America!
George Bush got his FISA law and his extra war money by offering a couple of “compromises” to the spineless Dems. One of them was quick passage of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program renewal. The renewal bill would increase funding of the bill by $35 billion and cover 4.1 million children by 2012, according to OpenCongress.org.For the past 6 years the Bush Administration has agreed to renew the program as is and even lauded the fact that states have been enrolling low-income adults in the program as far back as June of this year. Now, of course, the King is changing his mind. You know, because he can.
From WaPo:
So, if Dad/Mom loses his/her job and Little Billy needs the insurance that they don’t have anymore (say for Juvenile Diabetes, for instance) then Little Billy has to go for at least a YEAR with insurance before the new state insurance policy will accept him. Which puts even more burden on his parents, who don’t have the money now (thanks to job loss) and must find a way for their son to get the medication he needs to live. Compassionate? Heh.
Ah, the ever open and honest President and Company. They make promises to get bullshit passed- bullshit that Americans are overwhelming against – and WHAM! Sorry ’bout your luck, America. But the insurance companies would suffer and we don’t want that, do we?
From the New York Times[free registration required]:
The program is meant to help low-income, uninsured children. The same children that aren’t eligible, because of their parents’ incomes, for Medicaid. And yet the Bush Administration, under cover of ‘darkness’, says to hell with all of them. They want to make sure that 95% of all eligible children are enrolled in Medicaid, and yet no state in the union has been able to accomplish that particular goal. The Administration is worried that this program could supplant private insurance for some families. And that’s a bad thing how?
Now it’s up to Congress, once again, to show this two-bit tyrant who’s really boss. They need to come back from their vacations and vote overwhelmingly for the renewal, with added benefits. They need to tell this motherfucker to shove his late-night deal making straight up his ass. Supposedly, Republicans and Democrats were coming together for this bill. They were making compromises for the good of American children. Here’s a chance for them to smack this little man down once and for all. If they all vote FOR the bill then they will have enough votes to override his threatened veto.
Yeah, who am I kidding? We’ve got the moderates and the Blue Dogs in the King’s bedroom, on their knees and kissing his ass. When it comes time to show him that he isn’t the ultimate power in this country they’ll once again roll over and play dead.
Unless I’m wrong. Here’s keeping my fingers crossed.
On a more personal note, I am a strong proponent of Universal Health Care. I don’t think that any American citizen should suffer without health care- ever. My own family is lucky because TheMan has insurance, but we’ve recently been screwed by the insurance company. From January to June of this year I spent a lot of time sitting in doctor’s offices, trying to find out what the fuck is wrong with me. Then our insurance company decided to up the premiums and the deductible. After we had already met our deductible this year, it was raised to $1,000 per person- without the previous $350 being included. I had to cancel important appointments in June and July because we didn’t have enough money for the upfront payments (to the specialists). And though we spent $6,000 on Lil’lady’s surgery, that amount wasn’t included in our family deductible. She starts over from scratch too. Obviously I would never allow her to suffer. But what of all the millions of kids who do suffer because of the insurance SCAM?
They’re left out in the cold. Again. Compassionate conservative my fat white ass.
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