Governor Says Senator's Commentary on SCHIP Ignored Important Details

CHEYENNE, Wyo. - Citing his concern for the future of a critically important program that provides health insurance to low-income families in Wyoming, Gov. Dave Freudenthal wrote to Sen. John Barrasso this week urging him to reconsider his position on the reauthorization of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).

Freudenthal said he is disappointed that Barrasso and Sen. Mike Enzi voted against a bi-partisan compromise bill that was before the Senate last week, and added that he was even more disappointed in an editorial by Barrasso that recently ran in Wyoming newspapers.

The column “did not give Wyoming voters an accurate picture of the options before you on this important issue,” the Governor wrote. “Your column conveniently ignores the bi-partisan compromise.”

Instead of expanding the program to those who make above average incomes, as Barrasso has recently said, the bi-partisan compromise bill would maintain funding for continued coverage for children who are already enrolled. It would also allow states to expand coverage to a limited number of eligible children.

In Wyoming, nearly 6,000 children who are eligible for insurance coverage are not yet signed up for the state’s version of SCHIP called KidCare.

“The compromise measure does not, as you suggest, expand the program to uninsured adults or parents of children who are in the program,” Freudenthal said. “In fact, states that currently include adults or parents in their individual state SCHIP programs will be required to transition those individuals out of the SCHIP program...While in the state senate, you supported legislation to allow Wyoming KidCare to cover nearly 2,400 parents of KidCare children, such coverage is now cited in your opposition to this measure.”

Freudenthal urged Barrasso to not allow party politics to get in the way of the continuation of a critical service for Wyoming’s low-income children.

“Senator, I know you and I strongly support the premise that state and federal governments should provide health care coverage to children in low-income families,” Freudenthal said. “The political parties have had their little tug of war over the details. Now let’s encourage them to stop the outdated political rhetoric and get together on a compromise solution that achieves what we all want - helping kids.”

The text of the Governor’s letter follows.

October 4, 2007

Honorable John Barrasso
United States Senate
307 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Senator,

I have been watching the recent debate in Congress over the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) because I am very concerned about this critically important program that provides health care insurance to children in low-income families through Wyoming’s KidCare program.

Frankly, I am disappointed that you voted against the bi-partisan compromise bill that came before the Senate last week. But I must say I am even more disappointed that your column, carried in Wyoming newspapers last week, did not give Wyoming voters an accurate picture of the options before you on this important issue. Your column conveniently ignores the bi-partisan compromise.

A quick look at H.R. 976, the compromise bill that passed both the House and the Senate last week, shows that a number of your statements may apply to some proposed legislation but not to the bi-partisan compromise you rejected.

The measure you opposed was in fact a compromise solution crafted by a coalition of Democrats and Republicans in both the House and Senate. Credit should be given to those leaders of both parties who worked to draft this compromise language and voted to assure that health insurance coverage for children would not be interrupted. Senator Hatch from Utah is among those leaders.

The compromise measure does not, as you suggest, expand the program to uninsured adults or parents of children who are in the program. In fact, states that currently include adults or parents in their individual state SCHIP programs will be required to transition those individuals out of the SCHIP program - childless adults will not be covered by September of 2008, and coverage for parents will be phased out over the next several years. While in the state senate, you supported legislation to allow Wyoming KidCare to cover nearly 2,400 parents of KidCare children, such coverage is now cited in your opposition to this measure.

Rather than calling for an expansion of the program to children in families with higher incomes as you described, H.R. 976 actually reduces federal matching funds for coverage of children at higher income levels and provides incentives to cover the lowest-income children instead. Throughout its provisions, the bill specifically targets the lowest-income uninsured children for outreach and enrollment.

Increased funding for the SCHIP program is necessary not only to expand outreach and enrollment to the nearly 6,000 Wyoming children who are eligible but not yet enrolled, but also to assure continued coverage for the kids who are already signed up. The Wyoming KidCare program has been partially running on money saved up from previous years when fewer children were enrolled. Unless there is an increase in the funding amount allotted to Wyoming each year, beginning in October 2008 Wyoming KidCare will not have enough money to continue our existing program let alone expand to cover other eligible children. H.R. 976 maintains current funding levels for SCHIP programs and increases funding by $35 billion over the next five years. President Bush supports increased funding of only $5 billion, even though the Congressional Research Service estimates that an increase of at least $12.1 billion over five years is needed simply to maintain coverage for the children enrolled today.

If memory serves me correct, it was Senator Moynihan who said “Everyone is entitled to their own opinion but not their own facts.”

Senator, I know you and I strongly support the premise that state and federal governments should provide health care coverage to children in low-income families. The political parties have had their little tug of war over the details. Now let’s encourage them to stop the outdated political rhetoric and get together on a compromise solution that achieves what we all want - helping kids.

Best regards,
Dave Freudenthal
Governor