Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer urged lawmakers on Wednesday to consider combining a popular government health insurance program for children with a yet-to-be-agreed-upon bill that would stabilize parts of Obamacare.
The New York Democrat called for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to bring the proposals to the Senate floor for a vote. The Senate Finance Committee voted Wednesday to advance a funding bill for the Children’s Health Insurance Plan, commonly known as CHIP, though lawmakers are still deciding how to fund it. Congress did not meet last week’s deadline for reauthorizing the bill, which must be done every five years, though states haven’t spent all the funding they received and some will not run out until March.
The bill to stabilize Obamacare, which would involve giving states more flexibility and funding for out-of-pocket medical expenses, is being negotiated by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. It’s not clear if the Obamacare bill has enough support in either chamber or in the White House.
“Leader McConnell should immediately put this bill to the Senate floor for a vote and include much-needed bipartisan provisions to stabilize the markets, lower premiums in 2018, and renew funding for community health centers and numerous other important health provisions that expired over the weekend,” Schumer said.
“No family in New York or elsewhere should ever have to make the agonizing decision between taking their child to the doctor and footing the cost of exorbitant medical bills they cannot afford,” he added.
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, said he was opposed to Schumer’s proposition.
“We should not jeopardize vulnerable children’s health insurance coverage by turning the bill into a Christmas tree and adding controversial policies like bailing out insurance companies,” he said. “It’s regrettable that some Democrats are more interested in trying to score cheap political points than actually solving the problem.”
