Revised SCHIP bill up for new vote

The U.S. House is expected to vote as early as today on a revised State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) bill. (Source: "House to Vote on New Version of Child Health Bill," NY Times, Oct. 23, 2007.) In an attempt to win over Republican votes, Democrats have made several "minor changes" to the proposed law. While the bill would still cover 10 million children and increase spending on the program by $35 billion, for a total of $60 billion over the next five years, the new bill would "tighten eligibility for the program, generally barring the use of federal money to cover illegal immigrants, childless adults and children of families with incomes exceeding three times the poverty level: $61,950 for a family of four."

The Bush administration has signalled their desire for a compromise on the bill. Michael Leavitt, the secretary of health and human services, said the administration was willing to accept a $20 billion increase in spending on the program over the next five years, halfway between the $5 billion increase initially proposed by Mr. Bush and the $35 billion increase in first SCHIP bill, which Buch vetoed.