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SCHIP Reauthorization

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On Wednesday, the US House of Representatives will take up legislation to reauthorize an important children’s health insurance program — SCHIP. The Senate is considering a companion bill as well. The LAF supported SCHIP reauthorization last Congress, but unfortunately the measure was vetoed and never became law. This is a critical measure that will allow an additional 4 million low income children to have health insurance.

In order to fund this expanded coverage, this bill will raise the federal tax on tobacco products by 61 cents a pack. We say all the time that if we only applied what we know, we could save lives. Well, this is one of those opportunities. We know that there is a direct correlation between the price of a pack of cigarettes and the number of kids who start smoking. This is something easy Congress can do to decrease youth smoking rates and INCREASE the number of low income children who are covered by health insurance; it’s a win-win. You can help by lending us your voice, go to this link and tell your lawmakers to reauthorize SCHIP today!

  • RRoberts

    I agree SCHIP is a good thing and the astronomical price of tobacco is a deterrent to our youth picking up the habit. What I would like to understand is: As we get more people off tobacco, the tax dries up (because people aren’t buying tobacco)–then how does SCHIP get funded? Not trying to start an argument–just want to know. I’ve never understood this. Thanks.

  • ATallent

    Although the thought of funding children of low income families this is a bad bill that pays for “kids” up to 39 years old. Healthcare is not a right of citizenship and should not be funded on the backs of hardworking individuals paying and/or earning their own healthcare. Nationalized healthcare does not work and every country that has it proves that fact.