December 18, 2007 – Both children and seniors have received bad news when it comes to their health care recently.
Bush Vetoes SCHIP – Again:
President Bush last week denied millions of children health insurance for the second time by vetoing legislation reauthorizing and expanding the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).
The bill would have expanded the program by $35 billion over the next 5 years, providing more than 10 million low-income children with health insurance.
The Democratic-led Senate passed the legislation by a veto proof margin, but the House fell just short of the two-thirds majority needed. The House will vote on January 23 whether to override the veto.
“The health of our children is of the highest priority to the Democrats in the Congress of the United States,” said Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. “Let it be clear that Democrats will not rest until 10 million children in America have access to health care, and that it is paid for. Let it be clear that we will persist with this effort.”
Despite broad bi-partisan support, Bush vetoed similar legislation in October. Without reauthorization, however, millions of children are facing a dim outlook. Twenty-one states will run out of money for children’s health insurance in the coming year, according to the Congressional Research Service. Nine of the twenty-one states are expected to exhaust their funds as soon as March, including Alaska, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey and Rhode Island.
More Seniors than Ever Fall Into Medicare Donut Hole:
More than 3 million seniors will fall into the Medicare Part D “donut hole” next year, according to the Alliance for Retire Americans.
The “donut hole” refers to those seniors who must pay the full cost of their prescription drugs because they fall in the massive gap of beneficiaries with annual drug costs between $2,510 and $5,276. Those who fall into that category will have to pay $4,050 in out-of-pocket expenses, a $200 increase from last year.
“Between rising premiums, fewer prescriptions being covered, and the growing donut hole, seniors will pay more for their drugs on every front next year,” said Edward Coyle, Executive Director of the Alliance.
