Alliance For Health Reform Concerned About House Bill’s Effect On Children’s Health Insurance

By Travis Martinez – University of New Mexico/Talk Radio News Service

In a panel discussion hosted by The Alliance For Health Reform, area analysts on Friday discussed the recently passed House health care reform bill and its potential impact on the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).

Senior Researcher with the Urban Institute Stan Dorn argued that cutting CHIP entirely would force poverty stricken families to seek alternate insurance options through work-based insurers, which may not guarantee coverage.

“Why would somebody who loves children want to end the CHIP program, because it’s less certain subsidies would be guaranteed for Medicaid in both House and Senate bills… it will bring less complexity and higher paying rates for providers,” said Dorn. “But keeping CHIP around would actually save money by CBO standards…with states knowing the program will stay around through 2019, they will become more likely to invest.”

The panel lauded the successes of CHIP, a program which Congress earlier this year extended until 2013, alloting $32 billion to be used for the renewal.

Jocelyn Guyer with Georgetown University’s Health Policy Institute praised CHIP and Medicaid as two affordable outlets for families that reduce childrens’ health care costs.

“We really are making extraordinary progress on children and there certainly is more to be done. Increasingly the conversation also is turning to how do we make sure coverage is translated to access, but there certainly is a strong base at which to build,” said Guyer.