September 20, 2006 -- Congress Asked to Assure SCHIP Funding after October 1

Noting that at least 17 states face federal funding shortfalls of as much as $900 million for the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) in the 2007 fiscal year that begins October 1, Senator Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) introduced legislation September 19 to keep funds moving to the states pending reauthorization of SCHIP next year. Rockefeller noted that "No one can dispute the success of the SCHIP program in enrolling and providing coverage for more than 6 million children nationwide," but he said recent increases in the number of uninsured children "will only get worse" if the funding shortfall is not addressed before Congress adjourns next month. The Senate bill, S. 3913, and companion legislation introduced in the House (H.R. 6098) would redistribute unused previous-year SCHIP funds and would authorize additional federal appropriations to enable states to continue or expand SCHIP coverage in fiscal 2007. Congressional failure to take the necessary action would mean additional children would go without needed access to health care and would "run counter to the goals Congress set out when we created SCHIP in 1997," Rockefeller said.