Calling it immoral and unconscionable, children's health care advocates and a state senator Sunday blasted President Bush's threat to veto reauthorization of a children's health insurance plan.
The State Children's Health Insurance Plan, known as SCHIP, provides health care coverage to about 54,000 mostly low-income Colorado children and 1,200 pregnant women. It would have expired Sunday if Congress had not approved an extension until Nov. 12.
Members of Congress reached a bipartisan compromise to continue and expand the program, but President Bush has raised concerns that middle-class children who otherwise could be covered by private insurance will join the program.
If approved, the compromise would send $13 million to Colorado, which would pay for an additional 40,000 children.
The Colorado Progressive Coalition, which has identified health care as its top priority, denounced the president's expected veto at a news conference in front of St. Therese Catholic Church in Aurora.
"What are the priorities of our great nation?" said state Sen. Bob Hagedorn, D-Aurora, noting that there are a million uninsured people in Colorado - nearly a quarter of whom are children.
Hagedorn said children with adequate health care do better in school. "Healthy bodies make for healthy minds," he said.
Proponents of SCHIP say children don't get the regular checkups, immunizations or dental care they need without insurance. When problems arise, their parents and caregivers take them to the emergency room - further straining the health care system.
"Health care for kids must be a national priority, not a partisan issue," said Adela Flores-Brennan, federal budget advocate for the Colorado Fiscal Policy Institute.
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