AARP Comments on Expected House Passage of SCHIP Expansion

Source: AARP Press Center | September 25, 2007

AARP released the following statement today in advance of expected House passage of a bill to reauthorize and strengthen the State Children's Health Insurance Program. The statement, from AARP Government Relations Director David Sloane, follows:

"The House of Representatives will take an important step today with a bipartisan vote to reauthorize and strengthen SCHIP, a critical program supported by AARP that helps lower-income children get the health care they need. Unfortunately, lawmakers dropped important provisions that would have made needed improvements to Medicare; failure to act on Medicare this year could result in negative consequences for millions.

"People in Medicare could see their choices for doctors limited as doctors who care for people in Medicare may leave the program due to large payment cuts set to go into effect in January. By reducing excess payments to private insurance plans, Congress could use those funds to stop the scheduled cut to doctors in Medicare, keeping them in the program. It could also help millions of low-income people in Medicare pay for the prescription drugs they need. Most important, these changes should be made without further increasing Medicare premiums, which have doubled since 2001.

"Congress must address these issues this year so millions of people in Medicare don't lose access to their doctors, and these changes should be done without forcing people in Medicare to pay even higher premiums. Strengthening SCHIP is an important step, but Congress should not delay needed action on Medicare."