Sen. John Cornyn 's arguments for supporting Bush's veto on SCHIP

[Redbear]

The worst senator Texas has ever had says he wil only support a SCHIP bill that:

1) Reauthorize SCHIP—Cover Poor Texas Children First. I support reauthorization of SCHIP with sufficient additional funding to cover all eligible children that Texas health authorities can enroll. I voted for a $10 billion funding increase. The plan I support will ensure renewed focus on SCHIP’s original intent—covering Texas children in working poor families. We need to fully fund the Texas Legislature’s commitment for increased enrollment. But the Democratic majority bill, vetoed by President Bush last week, would divert Texas taxpayer money to expand and subsidize the SCHIP program for middle-class adults in northern states.

2) Address Key Texas Problems—Outreach and Enrollment. The Kids First bill I support tackles the central problems facing Texas better than the majority version. Approximately 700,000 Texas children are currently eligible but not enrolled in either SCHIP or Medicaid. Kids First provides $700 million for outreach and enrollment. The majority plan contains only a token $100 million over five years for critical outreach efforts. We should concentrate on locating and signing up those who need assistance, not on expanding the program outside its intended beneficiary.

3) Cover Texas Uninsured—Don’t Raise Taxes on Working Poor/Middle Class. We must seek broader health care solutions to address the high rate of uninsured children in our state. The plan I support covers additional Texas children without raising taxes on lower and middle class families. The majority bill balloons SCHIP by more than 140 percent to potentially include families of four with $83,000 of annual income. It relies on an accounting trick that will guarantee higher taxes, both immediately and again in the future.

My email response:

Frankly Sentor, your arguments smell of elitism and the ugliest form of class warfare. I cant believe you can sit there and deny health coverage for middle class children. The middle class is dying. Thats true not just in the "northern states" you deride but right here in Texas as well.

Im not surprised that you take the side of the rich and the insurance industry against middle class families, but it does make me both very sad and very angry.

[Kagemusha]

1. Does anyone have any idea where the "SCHIP covers adults" thing comes from?

I'm mystified at that claim.

[sandnsea]

2. State Waiver Programs

I don't understand all the details, but Oregon uses SCHIP money for our Family Health Insurance Assistance Program, which includes adults, like me.

http://statecoverage.net/profiles/oregon.htm

[chelsea0011]

3. Don't states get to decide how they want to use the money?

I'd like to know how much of the money goes to Massachusetts' full insurance for everyone program that Mitt Romney is selling on the campaign trail as his success story.

[qanda]

4. I believe that most plans covers pregnant women

And God forbid pregnant women actually get proper care.