At the Republican National Convention, Bush sounded awfully compassionate when it came to expanding access to health care for low-income children.
“America’s children must also have a healthy start in life. In a new term, we will lead an aggressive effort to enroll millions of poor children who are eligible but not signed up for the government’s health insurance programs. We will not allow a lack of attention or information to stand between these children and the health care they need.”
I guess there’s a reason Bush emphasized that this commitment would come to fruition “in a new term,” because he sure as hell isn’t following through on the issue now.
[N]ext week, the Bush administration plans to return $1.1 billion in unspent children’s health funds to the U.S. Treasury, making his convention promise a financial wash at best.
The loss of $1.1 billion in federal money means six states participating in the State Children’s Health Insurance Program face budget shortfalls in 2005; it is enough money to provide health coverage for 750,000 uninsured youngsters nationwide, according to two new analyses by advocacy organizations.
“If the Bush administration really cared about covering uninsured children, one of the things it could do immediately is make sure this $1 billion is used for SCHIP,” said Debra Ness, president of the National Partnership for Women and Families. “The irony is this president talks constantly about not leaving any child behind and how he is going to cover so many kids. In truth, that ended up being false. He’s just moving money around.”
Yes, there were deadlines for the states to spend SCHIP money, which several states did not meet. But since we’re dealing with health coverage for thousands of uninsured children, Bush could extend those deadlines and spend the resources. He’s choosing not to.
Over the objections of the National Governors Association and a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers, Bush opposes giving states more time to spend the money. In previous years he supported an extension, but he struck it from this year’s proposed budget.
Just another example of the disconnect between the compassionate, moderate persona the Bush campaign sells and the conservative, callous persona Bush embodies.
