Three leading associations of healthcare professionals have released urgent statements regarding the status of the SCHIP program.

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Statement on Presidential Veto of the State Children's Health Insurance Program Bill

Rich Umbdenstock
President and CEO
American Hospital Association

For the past decade, the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) has helped many of our nation's children get a healthy start in life. Regular check-ups and access to care have put our nation's children on a healthier and more productive path. That's why America's hospitals are deeply disappointed that the President today vetoed legislation to extend this important program.

The women and men in hospitals across the country tell us about the importance of this program for the children in their communities. They know first-hand what happens when children do not have health insurance - they come to the emergency department with conditions that could have been avoided. It's a fact that children who have access to regular health care are healthier and do better in school than those who don't. We can and must do better to help our nation's children.

Hospitals fully support renewing and expanding SCHIP to give even more kids the opportunity for a healthy beginning in life. We've called on hospital leaders to urge their lawmakers to override President Bush's veto to provide children health care they need and deserve.
About AHA

The American Hospital Association (AHA) is a not-for-profit association of health care provider organizations and individuals that are committed to health improvement in their communities. The AHA is the national advocate for its members, which include almost 5,000 hospitals, health care systems, networks, and other providers of care. Founded in 1898, the AHA provides education for health care leaders and is a source of information on health care issues and trends. For more information, visit the Web site at www.aha.org.


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Statement attributable to:
Edward Langston, MD
AMA Board Chair

"The American Medical Association is deeply disappointed in the president's veto of bipartisan legislation to protect the health of America's low-income children. The program is vital to protect low-income children whose parents work hard, but aren't able to afford health insurance.

"For children to get a good start in life, they need access to the medical care that this program makes possible. CHIP is an excellent example of a public-private partnership with a full 77 percent of kids in the program getting their coverage through private health plans.

"The number of uninsured kids has increased by nearly one million over the past year, and action must be taken to reverse this trend. The AMA strongly urges members of Congress from both political parties to stand on the side of America's parents and children by voting to override the veto. The nation's children, parents, and physicians are counting on Congress to strengthen this successful program."

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'Great Disappointment' in Veto of SCHIP Legislation Expressed by American College of Physicians

Asks Congress to Override Presidential Veto

(Washington) - Internal medicine physicians and medical students today expressed their great disappointment in President Bush's veto of the bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). The sentiment was expressed in a letter sent to the White House by David C. Dale, MD, FACP, president of the American College of Physicians (ACP).

On behalf of the 124,000 internal medicine physicians and medical student members of ACP, Dr. Dale said, "We respectfully request that you reconsider your opposition to this bipartisan bill to provide coverage to families from lower income families."

"This carefully-crafted House-Senate compromise is targeted at continuing to protect the nation's poorest of children whose parents are unable to afford health insurance on their own," Dr. Dale explained. "If SCHIP is not reauthorized, millions of children will be denied basic health care needs to give a child a healthy and successful start in life."

"We disagree with your view of this legislation as an expansion of government-run insurance," Dr. Dale noted. "Rather, SCHIP is a public-private partnership where nearly 70 percent of children already receive coverage through private insurers and this legislation will expand private insurance even further."

The letter went on to say that ACP strongly supports the provisions to increase federal taxes on tobacco products as a principal means of funding the program. The physicians' group believes that raising tobacco taxes to provide coverage for the 6.6 million children currently enrolled in SCHIP and cover an additional 4 million children not only makes for good budget policy - but good health care policy. The belief is based on findings that higher taxes on tobacco have proven to reduce the number of children and adolescents who start smoking and they reduce long-term costs associated with smoking-related illnesses.

Dr. Dale ended the ACP letter to President Bush by emphasizing that, "We are asking Congress to override your veto. In the unfortunate event that the veto is sustained, we will continue to urge Congress to again pass a bill that provides comparable levels of coverage and necessary increases in tobacco taxes. We hope that you will sign such a bill into law when it returns to your desk."

The American College of Physicians is the nation's largest medical specialty organization. Membership is composed of 124,000 internal medicine physicians (internists) and medical students. Internists provide the majority of health care to adults in America. Internists are specialists in adult medicine and provide comprehensive care to adult patients.