President Obama Signs SCHIP Reauthorization Bill Into Law

President Obama Signs S-CHIP Reauthorization Bill Into Law

After passing the Senate and House with votes from both parties, on February 4, 2009 President Barack Obama signed into law the S-CHIP bill that reauthorized the program for another ten years. The bill includes a spending increase of $32.8 billion to cover an estimated additional 4 million uninsured children. The extra funds will come from a 61 cents increase in the tobacco sales tax. The new program allows states to expand coverage of more low-income families and encourages states to spend more on outreach programs to sign up children who are eligible but not enrolled. Section 505 of the law clarifies that states are not limited by anything in the program from delivering services through School-Based Health Centers.

More information on the new language used to define SBHCs is available at:
http://www.nasbhc.org/site/c.jsJPKWPFJrH/b.4956831/

More information on the law is available at:
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h111-2