There was some real news in Health and Human Services policy this week. President Obama signed
HR 2 to
reauthorize and expand SCHIP, the federal program that tries to make sure kids get health coverage. Senator John Thune
voted against it (
again); the rest of the South Dakota delegation voted aye, recognizing that healthy kids are neither a socialist plot nor pork.
As usual, liberals are oversimplifying this to accuse people who voted against it as not caring about kids.
ReplyDeleteRemember the Dem poster child for SCHIP? The one whose family actually had enough money to MAKE CHOICES but was drawing from SCHIP?
That's what this is about. It's not about denying kids whose parents can't provide for them. It's about giving to families who have financial options, and they choose to spend their money on other things instead of insurance for their kids.
Yeah, kind of like how my irresponsible wife and choose to spend only $2700 a year (and that jumps about $900 next month) on a $7500-deductible plan so we can spend our money on other frivolous things like the mortgage, heat, and groceries.
ReplyDeleteActually, it is quite simple: the free market fails in health coverage. Anyone who says health insurance is about real choice and the free market lives on Mars.
And this expansion of SCHIP is being paid for by increased tobacco taxes. That's really intelligent.
ReplyDeleteFact check. The US is broke. But nevermind that little ditty.
"paid for by increased tobacco taxes"—seems like a perfectly splendid idea to me. Either you keep smoking and help pay for health harms, or you stop smoking and save the country lots of health costs. And of course, smoking is your choice. Win-win.
ReplyDeleteI'm not for smoking either, but I find it hilarious and ironic that a health program is being paid for by taxes on a definitely unhealthy habit. That's all.
ReplyDeleteApparently Cory, you haven't heard how many NEW smokers it will take to pay for this.
ReplyDeleteIronic on one hand the government is trying to help people stop smoking and the other hand needs more money from smokers.
Sounds like government to me.
Oh, is this insurance also for illegal aliens' children? Democrats are so kind hearted.
Proud to be a Republican with common sense.
"...haven't heard how many new smokers..."—you're right, I haven't heard. Why don't you tell me and provide a link to back up your claim?
ReplyDeleteAnd insurance for illegal aliens' children? I hear some Christians do that same thing. Where do people get this silly idea of helping the sick, the poor, the innocent?
First, what's this "irresponsible" thing? Did I say that people who have trouble paying for insurance for their kids are irreponsible? What I object to are people
ReplyDelete(like the Dem poster child's family) who really wouldn't need SCHIP if they made some other choices.
Second, on the illegals thing..yes, Christians like to help people. The difference here is that it's taxpayer money. Illegals have caused hospitals to close, remember?
Look, here's the bottom line. If somebody could come up with a way to create a private-public partnership to help people who truly can't afford
(through no fault of their own) the kind of benefit that SCHIP provides, I would be fine with contributing my tax dollars to that. I just don't think a purely government-run system is the answer.
I make tough choices to pay for private health insurance because it is a priorty for me, and I want what I pay for. I don't want to wait until it is too late for tests or an appointment with a doctor.