On July 19th, the U.S. Senate Finance Committee approved bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).  SCHIP is a program jointly administered by the federal government and the states that provides health care coverage for six million children nationally in poor and low-income families.  The bill will now move to the Senate floor for further debate. 

Provisions in the Senate bill include $35 billion in new resources over the next five years to provide coverage for children currently enrolled in SCHIP and adding those who are eligible but not enrolled in the program.  There are also incentives for states to include lower income children, and the bill allows states to use SCHIP funds to offer premium assistance for cost-effective employer-based coverage.

The U.S. House of Representative will likely move forward before the August recess with its $50 billion SCHIP proposal that improves upon the Senate bill.  Concern exists, however, that the President has issued a veto threat for SCHIP legislation – regardless of bipartisan support – that goes beyond his proposed $30 billion plan.

Catholic Charities USA has embarked on a Campaign to Reduce Poverty in America with the goal of cutting poverty in half by 2020.  Ensuring access to health care, which is helped tremendously by a strong and well-funded SCHIP program, is a vital component to reducing poverty.