SCHIP: Children's Health Care Program Can't Give It Away

NATIONAL CENTER FOR POLICY ANALYSIS ^ | Sept. 7, 2001

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

NATIONAL CENTER FOR POLICY ANALYSIS

SCHIP: Children's Health Care Program Can't Give It Away

Daily Policy Digest
Health Issues
Friday, September 07, 2001

Virtually every child in a low-income family is eligible for either Medicaid or the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), but 24 percent (or about 7.7 million) of the 32 million children in low-income families remain uninsured. Many analysts are puzzled why so many children remain unenrolled in these government health programs. The answer may be that their parents have decided they don't need or want them.

The states have not been able to spend all the federal SCHIP funds they were allocated. Nearly half of 1998's $4 billion allocation was returned unspent. Of the allocation for the last three years, the states have spent just 24 percent of their federal funds.

An Urban Institute study found that 88 percent of low-income respondents had heard of SCHIP and/or Medicaid -- but less than one-fourth (24 percent) of those ever inquired about the programs. Of low-income parents whose children had no health care coverage (see figure):

22.1 percent said they "did not need or want" the program; 17.7 percent said they did not think their child was eligible; 17.8 percent said their children had been enrolled in SCHIP or Medicaid at some time in the past year but no longer were; and 11 percent said they had applied but never enrolled their children.

96.8 percent of those who "did not want or need" the program considered their kids to be in excellent, very good or good health.

Of those surveyed, 24.2 percent said they had "no usual source of care," but only 9.8 percent said they had "any unmet need."

As an alternative, analysts suggest that the money spent on SCHIP be used to help the uninsured buy private insurance.

Source: Greg Scandlen (NCPA senior fellow in health policy), "Propping Up SCHIP: Will This Program Ever Work?" NCPA Brief Analysis No. 371, September 7, 2001, National Center for Policy Analysis.

For text
www.ncpa.org/ba/ba371/ba371.html

For more on Uninsured Children
www.ncpa.org/pi/health/hedex6b.html

[Intolerant in NJ]

Same old story...a few years ago I recall a big fuss because "poor" children were not getting the inoculations they needed...after some investigation it turned out that there was plenty of vaccine warehoused for free shots for anyone requiring them, but that the children's parents were not bringing them to receive the shots...after spending millions to provide the inoculations, the government had to spend millions more on public relations to urge those entitled to come in and take advantage of the freebies...

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

"Uninsured children" is a Dem. talking point. What's great about this study is that it shows that programs are already in place - no need for new funding, and any accusations that these children are not offered help are blatant Dem. lies. What may be even better news for America (not for Dems) is that many "poor" parents aren't interested in the government paying their way, and aren't buying the Dem. scare tactics. We may not be a nation full of freeloaders willing to sell their freedom at the expense of their neighbors after all. (^:

[Rowdee]

This whole thing is so maddening. The state funds for CHIPS-type program where I live uses tobacco taxes....I quit smoking...damn it, let everybody shoulder the bill.

I had to give up my $5000 deductible insurance policy cause the premium jumped 50%--thanks to fedgov demanding that pregancy, for one thing be covered...why do I pay for something that is an impossibility for myself. And that is just one thing that caused the rate to jump that high!

I remember back when I lived in Montana, there were public service announcements begging women to come in and sign up for WIC (Women, Infants, and Children give-away program)....they were desperate for 'customers'! This is insanity.