Posted on 02/01/2009 12:59:50 PM PST by Libloather
Senate Passes SCHIP Bill with Federal Tobacco Tax Increase
January 30, 2009
The U.S. Senate voted 66-32 this week to approve a major expansion of the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), funded with a 61-cent-per-pack increase in the federal tobacco tax, Reuters reported Jan. 30.
The $32.8-billion SCHIP bill would expand eligibility for the health-insurance program to an additional 11 million children; about 7.4 million kids are covered by SCHIP now. The measure was passed twice last year, but vetoed both times by President George Bush.
A similar measure has already passed the House of Representatives, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said a final vote could come next week after differences between the two bills are ironed out.
Some critics objected to the bill because it would allow states to enroll moderate-income families and does not include a ban on legal immigrants from getting coverage unless they have been in the U.S. for at least five years.
Funding of this program, or any program that is funded by a tobacco tax, is dependent upon people continuing to smoke.
Your favorite hobby is next. Then, we get to call you stupid.
How silly and dangerous. It has nothing to do with being conservative.
BRING IT ON! The object of my statement is to DRIVE people away from smiking and thus, improve their health and the health of any poor child stuck in a smoke filled enviroment!
I would have charged your charge card for cleaning if ti was required and if there was a NO SMOKING clause in the contract!
No.
According the Congressional Research Service analysis of the bill:
(p. 10) CHIPRA (Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act) 2009 would permit states to waive certain restrictions which result in a five-year delay for coverage of necessary health services in order to allow states to provide Medicaid or SCHIP coverage to pregnant women and children who are (1) lawfully residing in the United States, and (2) are otherwise eligible for such coverage. . . CHIPRA 2009 would prohibit federal funding for individuals who are not lawfully residing in the United States, and would provide for the disallowance of federal matching funds for erroneous expenditures made on behalf of such individuals under Medicaid and CHIP.(p. 11) Citizenship Documentation
(The Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 (DRA) requires citizens and nationals applying for Medicaid who claim to be citizens to provide both proof of citizenship and identity. . . . CHIPRA 2009 would provide a specific alternative, which would allow a state to use the Social Security Number (SSN) provided by individuals and verified by the Social Security Administration (SSA) . . (SSNs by themselves do not denote citizenship, because certain noncitizens are eligible for them.) The bill also would also add a requirement for citizenship documentation in SCHIP.
The age limit for adults is a state option, it is not required. Most states do not provide SCHIP funding for adults, but those that do must get a waiver from the federal government.
As far as the taxing of cigarettes, it is one of the few that I approve. Cancer deaths are a huge burden upon the health care system as well as the affected families.
And as far as La La Land, you are right, I live in California.
Well, people with nothing else better to do with their lives do that sort of thing.
While giving free healthcare to illegal aliens, Obama is poised to removed Tricare for Life for retired military and survivor spouses. Real nice. Crap on the military who served our country and hand our hard earned money to illegal aliens. Obama is such an asshole.
Something has to be done with the tax. It will go to fund a program, good or bad (in this case, a horrible one). That tax funded program necessitates more smoking to keep the flow of money coming.
You would be amazed, if you don't already know, at the amount of money the government takes in from smoking. I think they are more hooked on the tax revenue than the smokers are on the actual product.
Not likely. She passed on last year.
Perhaps you've missed the Ammunition Accountability whores pushing their bullet/cartridge serialization down our throats by means of state legislation. It calls for 5 cents per round tax and you have to "register" each box of ammo purchased. Further, it mandates destruction or surrender of existing ammo by a specified date. No compensation for the confiscated property. The anti-gunners are pushing for a federal license to possess a firearm with a removable magazine as well. The Obama Marxist horror show just keeps on going.
Nice job present obama.
Add to the rolls of dependents on the mighty government.
And indeed what an opportune timing for the fourteen babies and the single “mom” in LA???
God bless SheLion. :-)
I don’t have a dog in that fight. I roll my own...but heard rumors that they want to tax loose tobacco at 25.00 a pound. That will put lots of people out of business...A$$holes....
If I smoke its no ones business but mine...certainly not your business......No true conservative would tell anyone else how to live their lives...strange it sounds like you are for the tax on smokers, just not the spending...why be for a tax that is not spent...fuzzy thinking
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