S-CHIP

From the New York Times, via the RWJF Health Insurance Coverage, we find that the Congressional Research Service has finished a study that says 21 states will run out of money to fund their Children's Health Insurance Program during the coming year if Congress continues spending at current levels.

The result?

States, unsure of federal money, are drafting contingency plans in case it runs short.

Officials in charge of the child health program in California said Tuesday that they were adopting rules to allow the state to create a waiting list and to remove some of the 1.1 million children already on the rolls.

“The stalemate in Washington is having a real impact on children here,” said Lesley S. Cummings, executive director of the agency that runs the child health program in California. “Given continued uncertainty, we will have to start dropping children from the program — 64,000 a month, starting in January — to save money. This is getting less and less hypothetical.”

Photo from the original NYTs article after the break, showing the 21 states who will run out of funds including our own North Carolina.

As I mentioned earlier when talking about the races this year, I am totally open to conversations/corrections, or what have you with the campaigns themselves. Shortly after posting my comparison of the kid's health care plans from the two Gubernatorial candidates I had a sit down meeting with an acquaintance who worked on the Perdue health care plan. While I consider this person a friend and he was very helpful in learning and discussing the state of health care in North Carolina - I'm still undecided, impartial, and not 100% satisfied with either candidate's ideas.

That said, there are several things I would like to talk about related to children's health care, which are positives for the Perdue campaign. And, there is one thing I would like to talk about which is a negative (for me, not for everyone) for the Perdue campaign.

I just received the below press release from my congressman, Rep. Etheridge, and he is going to vote for S-CHIP. What a great turn of events. Congrats to everyone who wrote, called, emailed, and railed. Here is the press release:

Etheridge to Vote for S-CHIP Veto Override

WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge (D-Lillington) today announced that he will vote to override the President’s veto of H.R. 976, the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007. Etheridge strongly supports the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, but voted against the legislation on September 24 because it would be funded by a 61-cent tobacco tax increase.

I just came across this headline: McIntyre To Vote For SCHIP Bill Will Not Support Presidential Veto. What shady source did I get my info? Well, McIntyre's website itself.

Now if only we could get my representative, Etheridge, to join the Coalition of the Sane (COTS), it'd be a great day.

Cross-posted from the Brock Log.

It's mad, mad world, friends and neighbors.

Vice President Cheney tried to get Israel to pick a fight with Iran. Why? So the U.S. could legitimately attack back.

Reuters.