HispanicBusiness

The newly convened House of Representatives has turned its attention to health care and today authorized funding for an expanded version of the State Children's Health Insurance Plan. The newly strengthened Democratic Congress, no longer facing veto threats from President George W. Bush, also expanded the health insurance program to include lower-income children that are legal immigrants.

The current SCHIP program offers health insurance to 6.7 million low-income children and was set to expire in March. Hispanic advocacy groups and political leaders had strongly advocated an expanded version of SCHIP that would address the lack of medical care for poor legal immigrant under 21 years, and they applauded the bill's passage today by the House.

The Congressional Hispanic Caucus praised the bill's passage and urged the Senate to take it up immediately. Representative Nydia Velázquez (D-NY), chairwoman of the caucus said in a press release, "Today's passage of the SCHIP reauthorization will help improve the health of our nation, moving us one step closer to extending affordable coverage to 11 million children."

Since 1996, legal immigrants have been barred from Medicaid and SCHIP until five years after they first entered the United States. Experts said this restriction resulted in the exclusion of 400,000 to 600,00 children from medical coverage.

Jennifer M. Ng'andu, associate director of health policy at National Council of La Raza, said, "We consider this prevision the first real demonstrated commitment of the year by Congress to the Latino community."

Congressman Luis V. Gutierrez (IL-D) endorsed the bill and said, "An asthmatic child [previously] would have to wait five years for his inhaler; common allergies to food could result in illness or malnourishment; and a diabetic child could risk nerve damage and kidney disease down the road. This legislation represents the difference between a child's prospects for a healthy, productive life or failing to treat and prevent serious health conditions, often costing taxpayers much more in the long run. More than that, this legislation honors some of the most hardworking taxpayers among us — immigrants who make every effort to earn their citizenship — and who will soon become citizens — playing a vital role as part of the fabric of our nation."

Representativen Xavier Becerra (CA-D), who is vice chair of the House Democratic Caucus, commented, "Five years can be a lifetime for children, and when their parents are not only paying taxes, or even serving in the armed forces, having them wait for health care is against our values as a country. This is not just about Latino families; this is an issue of providing some sense of health care security for all."

The House voted 289 to 139 in favor of the bill.