States Standing Up For Kids

Part of the conservative misinformation campaign on the State Children’s Health Insurance Program is to stoke division between the states, and play on resentment towards New York. As Sen. Saxby Chambliss says, “I don’t think Georgia taxpayers ought to be subsidizing a family in New York making $80,000 a year.”

Is it working? Based on what local papers are saying, doesn’t look like it.

The Memphis Commercial Appeal makes the key point, the whole point of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program is that states have the flexibility to do what’s necessary to cover their uninsured:

The president’s determination to protect the private insurance industry demonstrates loyalty to the interests that put him in office. But the private market has failed to cover young people, and now the Bush administration wants to restrain the state-run program from reaching them, as well.

States, in fact, are in a better position than the federal government to determine eligibility for health care programs. It’s unfortunate that — unless Democrats in Congress are able to reverse this decision — more children will go without insurance coverage as a result.

The Des Moines Register appears more interested in taking care of Iowa’s kids than bashing New York’s kids:

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