CHIP Bill Passes House, But Partisan Strife Over Funding Likely To Cause Headaches In Senate
To pay for the Children's Health Insurance Program, the House bill would charge higher premiums to wealthier Medicare beneficiaries and cut money from the Affordable Care Act's public health fund. Democrats in the Senate are opposed to what they say is just another way to attack the health law.
The New York Times:
Children’s Health Bill Clears House As States Struggle To Keep Programs Afloat
The House passed a bill on Friday that would provide five years of funds for the popular Children’s Health Insurance Program, over vehement objections from Democrats who opposed the way it would be financed. The vote, 242 to 174, came a month after funds for the program expired. (Pear, 11/3)
Roll Call:
House Volleys CHIP Measure To Senate
After months of disputes and delays, the House voted Friday to renew funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program, community health centers and other public health programs. The legislation passed easily, 242-174, although many Democrats opposed the measure due to disagreements over the offsets. ... Advocacy organizations and state officials have been clamoring for Congress to act to extend funding for CHIP, community health centers and a number of other safety net programs. Most still had some money to keep operations going after the Sept. 30 expiration date, but officials are increasingly nervous about running out. In the case of CHIP, federal health officials have been funneling some leftover funds to the states that are in the most dire situations. (Raman, 11/3)
The Hill:
House Passes Bill To Fund Children's Insurance Program
The House bill would charge higher premiums to wealthier Medicare beneficiaries, cut money from ObamaCare’s public health fund and shorten the grace period for ObamaCare enrollees who fail to make premium payments. According to an analysis by the left-leaning Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, between 259,000 and 688,000 people could lose their insurance as a result of the shortened grace period. (Weixel, 11/3)
Bloomberg:
House Passes Children's Health Bill, Sending Measure To Senate
It’s funded by taking money from the Prevention and Public Health Fund, a program under the Affordable Care Act that finances public health efforts and tries to improve quality of care. It also limits federal subsidies to Medicare beneficiaries making more than $500,000. (Rausch, 11/3)
Columbus Dispatch:
GOP Raids Obamacare To Pay For Kids Health Insurance
It now heads to the Senate where lawmakers are working on an entirely different approach to re-authorize the Children’s Health Insurance Program, often called CHIP. (Torry, 11/3)
