Last month both houses of Congress passed a reauthorization and expansion of the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), the joint state-federal program that provides health insurance for millions of children whose parents make too much to qualify for Medicaid but can't afford private insurance.

Congress comes back from its August recess September 4 to meet in a conference committee to iron out the differences between the House and Senate versions of the bill. (For an excellent elaboration on the differences between the two bills and what makes a good SCHIP reauthorization bill, click here to read a thorough policy paper from the Center for Public Policy Priorities).

Yet Congress' progress is imperiled by a veto threat from President Bush, and today the New York Times reports that the Bush administration is implementing new rules that will stifle efforts to insure more children in this country ( click here to read the article from the New York Times). Those rules include:

•Imposing waiting periods for enrollment (like the 90-day waiting period the Texas Legislature eliminated this past session)

•Requiring states to cover 95% of children at or below 200% of the poverty level before allowing them to enroll children above 250% of the poverty level

•Charging co-payments and premiums that approximate the cost of private health insurance coverage

You can read the letter from the Center for Medicaid and State Operations outlining the new rules by clicking here.

No state has met the standard of covering 95% of children at or below 200% of the poverty level, so that rule effectively bars states (including Texas) from ever expanding their CHIP programs to cover children above 250% of the poverty level. Additionally, Texas has had such a terrible experience with its 90 day waiting period that it eliminated it in HB 109 this past session. Why would we impose on the nation something that clearly hasn't worked in Texas?

It's important to stay in touch with your member of Congress on this issue. Click here to find your member of Congress, and tell him/her that nothing should stand in the way between our children and the health coverage they deserve.

I promise to keep you up to date on this issue. As always, please don't hesitate to contact my office with any questions or comments by responding to this e-mail or calling 713-520-5355.

Sincerely,