ACTION ALERT
Tuesday, Oct. 16th and Wednesday, Oct. 17th are National Call-In Days for SCHIP
The House of Representatives will vote to override President Bush’s veto on the Children’s Health Insurance Reauthorization Act of 2007 (H.R. 976) on October 18th.
Meanwhile, several misconceptions and incorrect statements have been shared with the public about SCHIP. Below are the FACTS:
- The SCHIP bill does NOT raise the eligibility levels for families up to $83K. It provides states with the option to cover families up to 300% ($61,950 for a family of four). However, before states can do this, they must first reach their enrollment targets for their neediest children living up to 200% ($41,300 for a family of four). If they do not, they risk losing federal funding for their program.
- It is NOT a step toward “socialized medicine”. More than seventy percent of children enrolled in SCHIP already receive healthcare services through privately owned managed care health insurance companies. The United States does not have “government doctors” or “government health plans” that deliver SCHIP or Medicaid.
- SCHIP severely limits eligibility for adults. State SCHIP programs that currently provide coverage for adults will be eventually be phased out.
- Providing healthcare insurance for 4 million more children in America by increasing the federal cigarette excise tax does NOT “hurt” low-income smokers or tobacco farmers. Smoking hurts low-income smokers, their families and the community. Additionally, a decrease in the number of smokers resulting from this tax increase is reported to save Kentucky $907 million in health costs. Low income smokers make up 29% of the smoking population, which leaves an additional 71% of smokers that are middle class income who will carry the largest share of the increase in cigarette taxes. The benefits from the ongoing buyout of U.S. tobacco farmers are larger than any reduction in demand for U.S. tobacco prompted by an increase in the federal cigarette tax rate.
Kentucky’s House members must hear from YOU!
Contact your U.S. House Representative and urge him to override the President veto.
- Call the Capital switchboard at 1-800-828-0498 for your U.S. Representative’s office.
OR
Kentucky’s U.S. House of Representatives:
Ed Whitfield (District 1)
Ron Lewis (District 2)
John Yarmuth (District 3)
Geoff Davis (District 4)
Hal Rogers (District 5)
Ben Chandler (District 6)