Congress Set for Veto Fight on Child Health Care

[rodeodance]

Source: nytimes



September 25, 2007
Congress Set for Veto Fight on Child Health Care
By ROBERT PEAR and CARL HULSE



......Supporters of the legislation, which has broad bipartisan support, mobilized lobbyists — 400 from the American Cancer Society alone — and began advertising to win the votes needed to override a veto threatened by Mr. Bush. The president says the measure, which would renew and expand the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, costs too much and would be “an incremental step toward the goal of government-run health care for every American.”

..........

Federal health officials urged states to draft contingency plans in case tens of thousands of children lose coverage because of the impasse when the program expires Sept. 30. As one option, the officials said that states might consider shifting some children onto Medicaid.

Mr. Bush dispatched Michael O. Leavitt, the secretary of health and human services, to “work with states on ways to mitigate the damage that would result if Congress allows this program to lapse.”

Administration officials said they were concerned that the White House was being hurt by televised news reports that portrayed the fight as a struggle between Mr. Bush and poor children, rather than as a philosophical debate over the role of government in health care.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/25/washington/25health.html?_r=1&th=&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&emc=th&adxnnlx=1190718626-edaAkw1AlnRdUYVM0GXl+Q&pagewanted=print