Mr. President, the 17th century English writer, Izaak Walton, said-- Look to your health; and if you have it, praise God, and value it next to a good conscience; for health is . . . a blessing that money can't buy. Today in America, good…
Mr. President, the 17th century English writer, Izaak Walton, said--
Look to your health; and if you have it, praise God, and
value it next to a good conscience; for health is . . . a
blessing that money can't buy.
Today in America, good health is not free. And for many working people, the cost and accessibility of quality health care has become prohibitive.
A decade ago, the Congress and President Clinton made a major downpayment on improving our health care delivery system.
Their new approach was aimed at a gap between children of very low- income families who were covered under Medicaid and children of middle- and upper-income families who could fortunately afford private insurance, usually through their employers.
But between the two, millions of children whose families neither qualify for Medicaid nor can afford private insurance are uninsured.
So in 1997, the Congress passed the Children's Health Insurance Program to fill that void.
When President Clinton signed that legislation into law, he said--
[The program] strengthens our families by extending health
insurance coverage to up to 5 million children. By investing
$24 billion, we will be able to provide quality medical care
for these children--everything from regular check-ups to
major surgery.
I want every child in America to grow up healthy and
strong, and this investment takes a major step toward that
goal.
Today, 10 years later, the Children's Health Insurance Program has been a smashing success by any measure.
With this innovative program, the number of uninsured children of working families has dropped by almost 35 percent.
Today, 6.6 million children have insurance thanks to this outstanding program.
Many of these kids are now getting regular checkups. They are benefiting from preventive medicine. And their primary care comes from a family doctor, not from an expensive and inefficient emergency room.
Examples of this program's success can be found in every State.
Since 1998, Terry Rasner of Reno, NV, has helped children in Nevada enroll in Nevada Check Up, which is the Nevada Children's Health Insurance Program.
In a 2001 profile, Terry told of a father trying to care for his daughters, ages 2 and 3, both in need of medical attention.
With Terry's help, the father's application for coverage of his daughters was approved within 2 weeks. At the girls' first doctor's appointment, one was diagnosed with a severe heart condition and was immediately scheduled for surgery.
Terry recalled the father telling her staff that this program--funded federally and put into action locally--had literally saved this little girl's life.
And Terry remembered the joy they all shared--the father, the girls and the program staff.
But Terry was quick to point out in a recent email that this story is just one example.
She went on to write:
There are many stories of children as old as 11 and 12 who
were finally able to visit a dentist for the first time in
their lives.
Stories of families who finally felt whole because they
could access affordable medical and dental care for their
children.
School nurses who were acutely involved in supporting and
promoting this program from the outset because they were on
the frontlines of failed programs--or no programs at all--to
address the medical and dental needs of children of low-
income working families.
One child in particular was so bad off, he was unable to
eat and chew food due to the dramatic decay and gum morbidity
in his mouth. Imagine, children for the first time in their
lives actually getting to see a doctor or dentist that their
parents were able to afford.
Stories like this--examples of the Children's Health Program saving lives--are being told across America, and the statistics bear that out.
Study after study shows that: kids enrolled in the Children's Health Insurance Program are much more likely to have regular doctor and dental care; they report lower rates of unmet need for care; the quality of care they receive is far better than it was before; school performance improves; the plan is helping to close the disparity in care for minority children; and it has become a major source of care for rural children.
So, Mr. President, there is no doubt--no question at all--that the Children's Health Insurance Program is good for kids, good for families and good for America.
Today before us is legislation to reauthorize and improve the Children's Health Insurance Program.
This bill maintains coverage for the 6.6 million children currently enrolled and adds an additional 3.3 million low-income, uninsured children.
It also improves the program by curbing coverage of adults in the program and targeting the lowest income-eligible families as new enrollees.
As good as this bill is, I would have preferred a more robust reauthorization.
I think we should provide coverage for even more low-income children, as we hoped to do in the Budget Resolution.
But we all know that legislating is the art of compromise.
I understand that some of my colleagues balked at a larger bill, and while I am disappointed, I am satisfied that this bipartisan compromise will be a positive step toward better health care for those who need it most.
There is a rival bill that is called the CHIP alternative bill. But this bill is no alternative.
It will leave many families without any options for coverage. It will turn back the clock on all the progress the program has made over the past 10 years. It is not worthy of our support.
Some of my colleagues share my feelings that we could have done more. Still others feel this bill is too generous in that it provides coverage for too many uninsured children.
But the bill before us now has broad support, and back in 2004, during his reelection campaign, President Bush shared the goals that this bill achieves.
He said during the campaign--
In a new term, we will lead an aggressive effort to enroll
millions of poor children who are eligible but not signed up
for government health insurance programs. We will not allow a
lack of attention, or information, to stand between these
children and the health care they need.
Now, just 3 years later, President Bush seems to be singing a different tune. He is now threatening to veto this legislation for what he calls ``philosophical reasons.''
What is the impact of this legislation?
A ``no'' vote denies the most vulnerable children in our society the chance to live healthy lives.
A ``yes'' vote gives 10 million children the protection of health care and all the opportunities of a healthy, well-cared-for life.
I can't imagine any of my colleagues--or the President--telling a child: You can't have health coverage. You have to stop seeing your doctor. If you get sick, your parents will have to take you to the emergency room.
If that were to happen--if the Congress were to reject the program or President Bush were to veto it for so-called philosophical reasons-- they would be putting the health of millions of children at risk.
But I am hopeful that will not happen. This bill was forged through bipartisanship and a genuine pursuit of common ground.
I so appreciate the work of Chairman Baucus and Ranking Member Grassley of the Finance Committee, along with Senators Rockefeller and Hatch.
Their efforts were rewarded in the Finance Committee with an overwhelming 17-to-4 vote in favor of the bill, and I am hopeful that we will mirror that here on the Senate floor.
All too often, we hear about what Government can't do. The Children's Health Insurance Program is a stellar example of what it can.
This program is Government at its best: lending a helping hand, providing a safety net to children who need a boost to reach their full potential.
I couldn't be prouder to support this outstanding program, and I urge all of my colleagues to do the same.