HR 976-Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007
This is the reauthorization of a 1997 federal-state partnership program to provide health care to families who earn too much to get Medicaid. Families with incomes of up to 200% of the poverty level were targeted, but over time the Department of Health and Human Services has approved increased eligibility levels and/or expanded programs. The federal government pays 65% to 83% of each state’s program depending on a state’s median income level. The current Act expires on October 1st and is controversial because the reauthorization would more than double the funding from $5B per year to an average $12B per year. In addition to children, certain adults and low-income pregnant women would be covered. Taxes on cigars, cigarettes, cigarette paper, snuff and pipe tobacco would be sharply increased.
Some states currently allow families with incomes at 350% ($72,275 in New Jersey) or 300% of the poverty level (3 counties in California, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, and Vermont) to qualify. In addition other states are seeking to cover children above the 250% level (400% in New York or $82,600 per year, 300% in Indiana, Louisiana, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Washington and West Virginia). According to the Congressional Budget Office, 25% to 50% of CHIP’s children, or 1.5 to 3.0 million, previously had private insurance, but dropped it for a cheaper tax-funded deal. They now cost taxpayers $1.25-2.5 billion a year.
President Bush wants to return the program to its roots and limit eligibility to no more than 250% of poverty level ($51,625 for a family of 4) which is more generous that most federal anti-poverty programs such as welfare, housing and food stamps. Rather than expand government programs, he wants to give people without employer-sponsored plans a tax deduction - $7,500 for individuals, $15,000 for couples – if they buy insurance on their own.
Anti-poverty advocates say that higher-income families don’t need help with food and housing, but cannot afford health insurance. In addition, it is argued that states with a higher cost of living need a higher cutoff for eligibility.
The concern is that HR 976 essentially provides an entitlement for the middle class and is a stealth method of moving toward national health care. Funding this bill is projected to cost the average family $1,530.60*. President Bush has vowed to veto the bill.
Look below to see how your representatives voted on this bill.
*Washingtonwatch.com
Sources: 8/17 & 9/5 Detroit News, 9/24 USA Today, GovTrac.us, Washingtonwatch.com
HR 976
BILL APPROVED 68-31*
STATE SENATORS WHO VOTED YES SENATORS WHO VOTED NO
Alabama Jeff Sessions-R, Richard Shelby-R
Alaska Lisa Munkowski-R, Ted Stevens-R
Arizona John Kyl-R, John McCain-R
Arkansas Blanche Lincoln-D, Mark Pryor-D
California Barbara Boxer-D, Diane Feinstein-D
Colorado Wayne Allard-R Ken Salazar-D
Connecticut Chris Dodd-D. Joe Lieberman-I
Delaware Jos. Biden-D, Tom Carper-D
Florida Mel Martinez-D Bill Nelson-D
Georgia Saxby Chambliss-R, J. Isakson-R
Hawaii Daniel Akaka-D, Daniel Inouye-D
Idaho Michael Crapo-R, Larry Craig-R
Illinois Dick Durbin-D, Barach Obama-D
Indiana Evan Bayh-D, Dick Lugar-R
Iowa Charles Grassley-R, Tom Harkin-D
Kansas Sam Brownback-R Pat Roberts-R
Kentucky Jim Bunning-R, M. McConnell-R
Louisiana David Vitter-R Mary Landrieu-D
Maine Susan Collins-R, Olympia Snowe-R
Maryland Ben Cardin-D, Barbara Mikulski-D
Massachusetts Ted Kennedy-D, John Kerry-D
Michigan Carl Levin-D, Debbie Stabenow-D
Minnesota Norm Coleman-R, Amy Klobuchar-D
Mississippi Thad Cochran-R, Trent Lott-R
Missouri C. Bond-R, Claire McCaskill-D
Montana Max Baucus-D, Jon Tester-D
Nebraska Chuck Hagel-R Ben Nelson-D
New Hampshire Judd Gregg-R John Sununu-R
Nevada John Ensign-R Harry Reid-D
New Jersey F. Lautenberg-D, R. Menendez-D
New Mexico Jeff Bingaman-D, P. Domenici-R
New York Hillary Clinton-D, Chuck Schumer-D
North Carolina Richard Burr-R, Elizabeth Dole-R
North Dakota Kent Conrad-D, Byron Dorgan-D
Ohio George Voinovich-R Sherrod Brown-D
Oklahoma Tom Coburn-R, Jim Inhofe-R
Oregon Gordon Smith-R, Ron Wyden-D
Pennsylvania Robert Casey-D, A. Specter-R
Rhode Island Jack Reed-D, S. Whitehouse-D
South Carolina Jim DeMint-R, Lindsay Graham-R
South Dakota John Thune-R
Tennessee Lamar Alexander-R, Bob Corker-R
Texas John Cornyn-R Kay Bailey Hutchinson-R
Utah Bob Bennett-R Orrin Hatch-R
Vermont Patrick Leahy-D, Bernie Sanders-I
Virginia John Warner-R, James Webb-D
Washington Maria Cantwell-D, Patty Murray-D
West Virginia Robert Byrd-D, Jay Rockefeller-D
Wisconsin Russ Feingold-D, Herb Kohl-D
Wyoming John Barrasso-R, Mike Enzi-R
Not Voting: Johnson-D South Dakota
*per www.c-span.org
House version passed 225-204
Michigan representatives voted along party lines as follows:
YES NO
Bart Stupak-D-1
Peter Hoekstra-R-2
Vernon Ehlers-R-3
Dave Camp-R-4
Dale E. Kildee-D-5
Fred Upton-R-6
Tim Walberg-R-7
Michael J. Rogers-R-8
Joe Knollenberg-R-9
Candice Miller-R-10
Thaddeus G. McCotter-R-11
Sander M. Levin-D-12
Carolyn C. Kilpatrick-D-13
John Conyers-D-14
John D. Dingell-D-15
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