Posted on 03/19/2010 4:20:12 PM PDT by mdittmar
Arizona has become the first state to cancel its State Children's Health Insurance Program, which, like other SCHIP programs, is funded jointly by the state and the federal government.
The budget passed by the legislature and signed into law by Republican governor Janice K. Brewer eliminates the $22.9-million program, known as KidsCare, as of June 15th. The program served 38,000 children living in families with incomes between 100% and 200% of the federal poverty level ($22,000 to $44,000 for a family of four).
A statement on the Web site of the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System, the state's Medicaid agency, said simply, "The State does not have enough funds to keep paying its portion of this program."
Brewer proposed cutting the program in her "State of the State" address in January. "As an Arizonan, as a mother, and as a person who feels great compassion for the vulnerable and less fortunate," she said, "it is only with great reluctance that I advocate a number of deep reductions in funding. . . . As governor, I have a duty to preserve State government's fiscal integrity and to ensure Arizona's long-term health."
The state faced a projected shortfall of $2.6 billion in fiscal 2011.
Arizona pediatricians were furious about the program's cancellation. "Our elected officials have said the budget deficit left them with no choice but to eliminate this coverage, but they did have a choice and they chose to put our children's health at risk, deny them access to a medical home and critical preventive health services," Mary Rimsza, MD, chair of legislative affairs for the Arizona chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, said in a statement. "This decision will increase healthcare costs by cost-shifting, overuse of emergency rooms, and lack of early intervention."
Roland Goertz, MD, president-elect of the American Academy of Family Physicians, also said he was upset about the program's cancellation. "It's a sad situation when you have to cut care for children," said Goertz, who practices in Waco, Texas. "I don't know that there's any way possible for it not to impact the health of the children that are going to be [no longer covered]."
Some Arizona physicians may have to turn away children who become uninsured as a result of losing SCHIP coverage, he said. "The vast majority of physician practices are small businesses, and they have to make decisions based on whether the bottom line is met or not. . . . I think it's going to happen because I don't know a way it can't happen."
Goertz said he hoped other states would not follow in Arizona's path. Because of the recession, "fiscal crises are unfortunately more common, but I hope they don't go to the extreme that Arizona has gone to."
Jenny Sullivan, senior health policy analyst at Families USA, said that there are several good reasons why states might not be inclined to completely eliminate their SCHIP programs. "Number one, it's not popular to cut coverage for kids, so there's a political price."
But more importantly, she said, "from a financial perspective, it doesn't save the state very much money," because states only provide 35% of the funds for the program, and the rest comes from the federal government. "States without a doubt are in historic budget crises, but cutting SCHIP is not necessarily the best way to save state funds."
Sullivan said she was hopeful that some stimulus programs that are giving states additional healthcare funds will be extended. "That will give states extra money for Medicaid, which will help them with the general fund and give them more money for other things like SCHIP," she said.
Sullivan also raised another possibility: the Senate version of the healthcare reform bill, which is scheduled for a vote in the House on Sunday, contains a "maintenance of effort" provision requiring states to maintain any children's health programs that are in existence when the bill is passed. In that situation, Arizona would not be permitted to discontinue its SCHIP program, she said.
I have private insurance for my family and kids. I spend about $1,000 per month with a very high deductable. If Obamacare passes Sunday I might just cancel everything. I’ll be covered now, right?
Treat 'em for free yourself, you ignorant slut.
Wait just a freakin minute....what about the outragous cigarette taxes we have been paying to fund this?...oh wait nevermind.
Not for 3 years, I guess. The taxes start now, but no “free” care until 2013, or 2014(?)
Are they going to refund all the tobacco tax they collected to pay for this crap?
Vchips! Schips! I’m never gonna get used to Big Brother communism. Good question about the tobacco tax the Kenyan bass turd laid on us before his ass even hit the chair in the Oval Oriface.
Didn’t they have to cancel this in Hawaii as well.
Too many well paid citizens glomming onto the system.
No, you’ll be fined. $2,500 or 2% of your income.
Doctors are too dedicated, but they need to go on strike. For just one day. It’s a scary thought but I think it needs to be done...maybe with the exception of emergency services...?
Hold on a moment, the state cuts 'em loose because the state can't afford it and the state is bad. The physician cuts 'em loose because the physician can't afford it and the physician is a victim? ummmmm?
No cancellation of schip in my state,the dems are going to raise taxes again, by $800 million,the a$$holes ran up a $2.8 billion budget deficit.
Bet they don’t cancel the taxes.
Are they going to refund all the tobacco tax they collected to pay for this crap?
Oh, those taxes. I guess those went to provide cushy jobs for lazy cousins and drunken slob brother- in-laws.
bump
Throw your mortgage in there, and keep running the family jalopy on fumes.
Obama will be filling your gas tank, too.
“Arizona has become the first state to cancel its State Children’s Health Insurance Program, which, like other SCHIP programs, is funded jointly by the state and the federal government.”
Wow, that’s great. Too bad we can’t stop the taxes on Arizona smokers.
I like this though. That is probably the way to fight the Federal Govt going forward. Seceding isn’t realistic, at least not in one step, but the good states where enough people reject socialism could just stop taking part in these programs. The downside is the state’s citizens still have to pay the taxes, but at least the state won’t race into bankruptcy. Perhaps the state could take half of the money they would have spent on each program and refund it to the tax payers each year so they can see the benefits of rejecting these programs.
Other good things about doing this. The useless leeches will probably pack up and leave to the socialist states. Businesses will probably be attracted to states that do this too. Basically, the good states can make themselves so inhospitable to the lazy and useless people that it would have the effect of driving them all elsewhere.
Eventually, the Federal Govt’s demands on the tax payers of the good states would become so high seceding would become necessary, but at least they wouldn’t have to take such a huge step all at once.
Arizona hospitals spend $150 annually on illegals’ care. Some rural hospitals have had to downscale or close (in 2003 77 border hospitals filed for bankruptcy)
Health department in Cochise spends 1/3 of its budget on care for illegals
Maricopa County Hospital loses over $2 million weekly on uncompensated care due to illegal aliens.
Over half of all AHCCCS births are from illegal mothers; 1/3 of children in Arizona have immigrant parents
Same as I'm sure Illegals will be happy to pay their $750 fine for not buying insurance? Oh, they won't be able to be found to make them pay? Oh, I see, just white people who have valid Social Security numbers and file their income taxes. Ok, I get it.
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