| The Montana Senate embraced an increase in CHIP eligibility to 200% of the poverty level, up from the current 150%. Why is this good news? The long and short of it is that covering up to 150% means that you can get assistance if you're truly poor, but families with two paychecks, but no insurance through work, are left in a Hell of a tight spot, since their premiums for a full family can easily be $600-$1,000 a month for anything other than HSA/high-deductible coverage. If you've got a family of four, try throwing down $12,000 a year for health insurance on a pre-tax income of $36,000 a year. Then try finding a home you can live in.
The move to raise eligibility drew unanimous support from Democrats and drew crossover support from John Cobb, Dave Lewis, and Jim Peterson.
Republicans are opposing it on principle, which means that, just as with the minimum wage, they'd be happier to simply see CHIP abandoned. There's a lot of talk about personal responsibility -- since, clearly, the 5-year-olds who are impacted by this just need to work a little bit harder if they want to have health care.
Sen. Dan Weinberg (D-Whitefish) nails it: Supporters said children don't get to choose whether they're born into poverty or families without enough money to afford health insurance, and it makes sense for the state to provide them with coverage.
"Ultimately it's the kid, without this program, who doesn't get to go to the doctor when they have an earache," said Sen. Dan Weinberg, D-Whitefish. "It's the kids who suffer." Of course, I'm not a fan of punishing children for the sins of the parents. That's why I'm a progressive. |
