SCHIP FUNDING FUNDAMENTAL FOR HEALTH CARE REFORM IN NEW MEXICO

SCHIP FUNDING FUNDAMENTAL FOR HEALTH CARE REFORM IN NEW MEXICO

Appeared in the Albuquerque Journal Aug. 2, 2007

By Sen. Dede Feldman

In today's polarized political climate, there are few issues that unite Democrats, Republicans, businesses, doctors, insurance companies, hospitals and consumer advocates. But over the past ten years, a solid consensus has emerged in New Mexico, and the nation, that we need to ensure that our children have health insurance--and the early care that it brings.

A key element of federal funding for such insurance has been the State Children’s Health Insurance Program ((SCHIP), and it is now at risk in Washington as the President reverts to an ideological objection to the program as “government run health care, and the House and Senate debate the proper level of funding.

For New Mexico, the stakes are high. Not only are tens of thousands of children, parents and adults at risk of loosing their coverage or of not being able to sign up for new programs recently authorized by the legislature, but the longsoughtafter holy grail of health care reformers here --universal coverage-- may become much more difficult to grasp.

For the past year, as the number of uninsured New Mexicans increases, and the price of premiums continues to grow, a Health Coverage Task Force created by both the legislature and the governor has been meeting to see whether we can move toward universal coverage. One fundamental point of agreement among business, health care providers, insurance folks and others on the diverse task force, has been that the state needs to take advantage of Medicaid, SCHIP and other federal programs that currently match state funds at a handsome level (roughly 3 federal dollars to every state dollar). All of the models analyzed by the task force, be they marketbased or single payer, rest on SCHIP and the Medicaid program.

The Memorial, which passed with little debate, acknowledges the value of the state children's health insurance program in preserving child wellness, preventing and treating childhood disease, improving health outcomes and reducing overall health costs.

For years, with the help of our Congressional delegation, the state, like many others, has utilized waivers to broaden the program to include more parents and working adults now without any insurance. In fact, one federal agency, the Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) has been encouraging states to innovate and cover more people since the late nineties. And New Mexico has done just that.

Suddenly, however, the Bush administration is threatening to veto any SCHIP reauthorization that exceeds $5 billion, which sounds like a lot but which would put an end to any expansion to six million of the nation's uninsured kids who are already eligible but not signed up for SCHIP.

Nationwide, the threat is already igniting broadbased opposition from Chambers of Commerce, parents organizations, pediatricians, medical societies and even insurance companies, because the program, after all provides coverage through the very private insurance companies the President is trying to protect.

Both Senate and House committees have passed SCHIP reauthorization bills, with funding levels ranging from $35 billion to $50 billion. The Senate bill was coauthored by Sen. Jeff Bingaman. It would provide $176 million for New Mexico children next year with increases in succeeding years. providing tens of thousands of additional New Mexico children and adults with health care for the first time. The bill also includes an initiative that Bingaman has been championing for several years to allow ten states to test out a program that would automatically enroll children in SCHIP if they have already been deemed eligible for another public program such as the School Lunch Program or the Food Stamp Program. In addition, it would increase outreach to Native Americans and offer bonus payments to do Medicaid enrollment, which is of special concern in New Mexico where we have tens of thousands of children eligible but not enrolled. Clearly, it is an extremely important bill to New Mexico.

The Senate Finance Committee overwhelmingly passed the bill on a bipartisan basis last week, by a 174 margin --something that bodes well for getting votes needed to override of a potential veto.

On the House side, Rep. Heather Wilson voted against a SCHIP reauthorization bill, in spite of her earlier letter to the budget committee urging it to continue and expand the program. Wilson said that her opposition stemmed from the House funding mechanism, a reduced reimbursement rate for Medicare HMOs.

President Bush, earlier, indicated his opposition to increased cigarette taxes, the Senate Financing mechanism.

Poll after poll show that about two thirds of Americans, in principle are willing to pay more taxes to provide health care for all. And even more relevant to SCHIP is the recent poll by The Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids. It reveals that 70% Americans support a 30 cent per pack increased cigarette tax if used to expand health coverage to Americans kids. Slightly less, 67% support a 75cent per pack increase.

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Sen. Dede Feldman is the Chair Human Services Committee. She New Mexicans Committee.