The Independent View: Senate Finance Committee Approved Reauthorization of CHIP

New York Wins are hard to come by in the GOP-dominated Nation’s Capital. New York's Democratic Lawmakers and some Republican Colleagues were pleased by developments Wednesday: The Senate Finance Committee Approved Reauthorization of the Children’s Health Insurance Program, CHIP.

For New York, one of the battles concerns Health Insurance for 330,000 Children in Families just above the Poverty line and 20,000 in the greater Capital Region.

The battles pit mostly Republicans from Low-Budget States like Texas and Alabama against mostly Democrats from Higher-Tax States like New York that pride themselves on their Social Safety Nets.

CHIP is a 20-year old Federal-State Match program that provides Funds for Children in Families that make too much Money for Medicaid but lack Private Health Insurance through Parents’ Employers. In 2015, the Federal CHIP Program contributed 65% of the Cost of New York State’s Child Health Plus program, about $414 million.

The Authorization of CHIP Expired this past Sunday, with Republicans in no apparent hurry to re-up it. But on Wednesday, the Senate Finance Committee on a Bipartisan Voice vote approved Reauthorization for five years.

New York Senator and Democratic Minority Leader Schumer hailed the vote and urged Senate Republican Majority Leader McConnell to move it to the Senate floor. No family in New York or elsewhere should ever have to make the agonizing decision between taking their child to the doctor and footing the cost of exorbitant medical bills they cannot afford, Schumer said.

New York Hospital and Health-Care Advocates also want Congress to speed-up Reinstatement of CHIP. We’re hoping the sense of urgency for CHIP funding is increasing in Congress, said Susan Van Meter, Senior Vice President for Federal Relations with the Healthcare Association of New York, which represents about 500 Hospitals, Nursing Homes, Hospice Providers, and other Health-Care Entities Statewide. Funds are running out and, obviously, we’re very worried about that..