Children’s health insurance passes House

An expansion of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) passed the U.S. House on Wednesday adding 4 million more children to the program for a total of 11 million otherwise uninsured children receiving the benefit. The majority of the Minnesota delegation voted for it, with Rep. Erik Paulsen breaking ranks with the Republicans and joining Reps. Keith Ellison, Betty McCollum, James Oberstar, Collin Peterson and Tim Walz. The bill passed by a vote of 289-139.

SCHIP was a contentious issue in 2007 as Democrats twice tried to expand the program only to be met with two vetoes by President Bush. Rep. Michele Bachmann caught a great deal of flack from progressive groups who launched campaigns to persuade her to change her vote. Bachmann, in turn, tried unsuccessfully to have the campaigns removed from the airwaves.

President-elect Barack Obama supports the legislation that would extend the program through 2013. Under the current extension, SCHIP would expire in April of this year.

Walz praised the legislation. “I believe that expanding health care coverage for children is a powerful statement about the value that we as a country put on our children’s health,” he said in a statement. “Children’s health care is not just another detail — it is critical to strengthening the American family, and it deserves our continued attention.”

So did McCollum. “Every child in America should have the right to healthcare,” she said. “Expanding SCHIP will expand access at a time when too many American families are losing employer-sponsored health care.”

Photo via Interplast.