State Childrens Health Insurance Program - Essay Example

 11th November S-CHIP Children’s Health Insurance Program) enactment in 2000 The S-CHIP (State Children’s Health Insurance Program) is a US based program that is undertaken through the assistance of department of health and human services. Having been established by the balanced budget act of 1997, the program is aimed at providing health cover to children who are unable to afford Medicaid. Based on the need to maintain the US children healthy, Senators Edward Kennedy and Hatch were the key pioneers of the statutory authority that was responsible for the activities of CHIP. Similarly, based on the objective of the Clinton administration to make improvement in social security as well as provide sustainable health care for American children, the S-CHIP was adequately funded. This paper seeks to analyses the implications and the challenges that faced S-CHIP as one of the major US government policy proposal. As mentioned earlier, State Children’s Health Insurance Program was intended to cover large number of children who were unable to access Medicaid. Through the support of Bill Clinton, Senator Kennedy a major player during the preparation and passing of the bill wrote much about the program. On his part, Hatch maintained that as a government and leaders, they had a moral role of ensuring that children health is maintained in good condition. Despite the continued resistance from some republicans on the basis that the bill was open-headed and that it had a structure of entitlement, the president together with the pioneers of the bill continued to support it (Anthony and Thomas 18). Apart from the senators who spearheaded the bill, various groups and organizations were also in support of provision of sustainable health care for the children. This was evident from the press conference that Senator Kennedy held to thank the supporting individuals and group such as Hatch, Bill Clinton, Tom Daschle, Children Defense fund and Hillary Clinton among others (Pear 8). One of the major events that came about after the introduction of the S-CHIP was the campaign that was referred to as Insure Kids Now. Being under the management of Health Resources and Services Administration, the campaign aim was to increase the number of children being covered by the program. State Children’s Health Insurance Program was an initiative that enjoyed the support of the congress as well as the US presidents. For example, while President Clinton together with the first lady Hillary Clinton provided adequate support to Senator Kennedy during the drafting of the bill, President Obama ensured that the umber of children being covered by the program increased. One of the key measures that were taken by Obama in 2009 to ensure that 4 million children were covered was the signing of the Children's Health Insurance Reauthorization Act. Additionally, the program was authorized to be under operation for the next two years after the signing of Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and Reconciliation Act of 2010 by president Obama. Despite support by the two US presidents, there was a set back in 2007 when President Bush opposed the reauthorization bill arguing that the expansions were not proper. This led to the signing of the reauthorization bill in 2007 that only allowed the S-CHIP to continue its services without increasing the number of benefits. Two notable political aspects that provided a positive impact on the S-CHIP was the control of the Oval Office by the Democrats as well as their high number in both houses of congress. As a result of these aspects, the program was expanded up to 2013 after the passage of the reauthorization bill. The success of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program can be traced to the contributions of a number of political players. For instance, Bill and Hilary Clinton, the key supporters of the bill advocated for more adjustment to be made to the health legislations in order to cater for the health of the children. Similarly, it was Bill Clinton who proposed in 1997 the establishment of S-CHIP to cover approximately five million children. In turn, Kennedy took up the matter by inviting his co-sponsor Senator Hatch (Pear 13). Kennedy argued for the increment of tobacco taxes in order to cater for the $20 budget that was needed to undertake the program. As a way of representing the interest of the public two organizations also supported the program. These included the US Girl Scouts and the Children’s Defense funds. It was as a result of the support from the white house and the congress that the bill became a law in 1997 approved it by signing. Despite the support of the program from various individuals and institutions, some opponents criticized the program on various grounds. For example some member of the congress argued that the program would result to an increased cost of providing health insurance. Similarly, they argued that the program would cover non US citizens thus making it more costly. Despite his signing of the bill into a law, President Bush in 2007 offered some opposition to the bill that even the legislators would not go against. Another key opponent was Trent Lott, the leader of the majority at the senate (Anthony and Thomas 34). According to Lott, the bill did not comply with the requirements of balanced budget as agreed by the president and the Congress thus it was bound to fail. In their endeavor to enact the S-CHIP, proponents sought for help from the presidents and the White House. Taking in to consideration the significant role of the US presidents in shaping local and global political situation, the opponents such as Senator Kennedy sought for guidance from President Clinton. Another strategy that was adopted by the opponents was the use of public support by inviting organizations that catered for the children welfare from the Children Defense Fund as well as US Girls Scouts. By inviting these organizations, the proponents were aimed at showing the support of the bill by the US residents. Press conferences that acted as a way of educating the public on the usefulness of the bill and article writing were also avenues that Kennedy used to ensure that the bill was enacted. Likewise, the opponents used the services of professionals and education institutions to come up with a data that indicated the dire need of health services by US children. For instance, in 2007, researchers based at the University of Brigham Young indicated that lack of covering children by the SCHIP will led to increased cost of providing health care in future. Opponents of the S-CHIP also used notable strategies to block the policy. Just like the proponents, the opponents used the researchers based in the office of congressional Budget who argued that if the program will be adopted, private health services providers would be negatively affected. As a result, the level of unemployment would rise while the health services in the public sector would be substandard due to lack of competition. Holding public debates and press conferences and seeking of support from political parties are other major avenues that the opponents led by Trent Lott used to block the S-CHIP. Notwithstanding the political challenges that S-CHIP faced in its initial stages, the policy became a law in 2007. This after President Bush assented to it although he did not allow more programs to be introduced. With the election President Obama, the democrats enjoyed majority in the houses of congress an aspect that resulted to the reauthorization and expansion of the program up to 2013. Conclusion State Children’s Health Insurance Program is a provider of health insurance cover to children who are unable to enjoy Medicaid due to poverty. As more amendments are made on the program, SCHIP expansion will greatly impact on addressing the health of children in US. SCHIP major source of funds include taxes collected from tobacco products. With respect to my policy area that is the SCHIP, I have learned that political institutions including the president play a vital role in converting a bill into a law. Additionally, the involvement of organizations especially the ones dealing with human rights is essential during the policy making process. Works Cited Anthony, L and Thomas, B. The Effect of the State Children's Health Insurance Program on Health Insurance Coverage. NBER Working Paper No. 9405. Available from http://www.nber.org/papers/w9405. Retrieved 2013-11-10. Pear, R. Hatch Joins Kennedy to Back a Health Program. The New York Times. Retrieved 2013-11-10. Read More