The Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act, which passed the House today by a vote of 289 to 139, preserves health insurance for all 7.1 million children currently covered by SCHIP, including 651,853 kids in New York, and extends coverage to 4.1 million additional low-income children who are currently uninsured.

“It appears the third time will be the charm for millions of uninsured American kids,” Maloney said.  “No child in America should have to go without proper health care.  I’m proud that a bipartisan majority in this Congress stood up to right one of the enduring wrongs of the current administration, and that we will soon have as president a true champion of American children, Barack Obama.”

The Joint Economic Committee (JEC) released a report in January 2008 showing that in each year of an economic downturn, as many as 67,500 additional New York children will need access to the State Children's Health Insurance Program and Medicaid.  Click here for a full copy of the JEC report.
 
"In the current economic downturn, more and more parents are having trouble finding affordable health insurance for their children.  An expanded SCHIP program will give millions of working parents one less thing to worry about during these trying times,” said Congresswoman Maloney. 

The bill passed today is fully paid for by raising the federal tobacco tax by 61 cents per pack of cigarettes.  Raising the tobacco tax also promotes children’s health by discouraging children from smoking.  According to the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, a 61-cent increase in the tobacco tax means that 1,873,000 fewer children will take up smoking.