State Dems: GAO: Implementation of Bush-Rossi Children's Healthcare Policy is "Illegal"

GAO: Implementation of Bush-Rossi Children's Healthcare Policy is "Illegal"

Gov. Gregoire stands up for WA kids, Rossi stands with Bush

SEATTLE - The non-partisan Government Accountability Office (GAO) has determined that the Bush administration violated federal law when it rushed to restrict the ability of states like Washington to provide health insurance to children of low and middle-income families. Republican Dino Rossi backed Bush's veto of the 2007 SCHIP bill - which served to deny health care to hundreds of thousands of children - and continues to support Bush's efforts to restrict the ability of states, including Washington, to insure additional children.

The Bush Administration illegally attempted to implement their misguided policy by going around established Congressional rule-making procedures, the GAO found.  

Last fall, non-partisan children's advocates called out Rossi for falling into line with President Bush and opposing the expansion of the program, in direct contrast to Washington state's law:

"Jon Gould, deputy director of the Children's Alliance, a statewide children's advocacy organization, said Rossi's comments 'appear to be directly in line with President Bush's position and in direct contrast to Washington state's law that passed with bipartisan support.'"

"On children's health insurance, Republican Dino Rossi continues to stand with his friend George Bush against the interest of Washington state's kids - further evidence that Washingtonians simply can't trust Rossi with our future," said Washington State Democratic Chairman Dwight Pelz. "While Gov. Gregoire has taken this challenge head-on and gotten real results for Washingtonians - covering 84,000 new children and on track to cover all of Washington's kids by 2010 - Republican Dino Rossi continues to back Bush's misguided policies on children's health care."

Democratic and Republican state officials say that Bush's actions are harming their efforts to provide healthcare to kids during difficult economic times.  Bush's decision "effectively blocked Washington's Legislature-approved plan to cover all children by 2010, according to state officials, who sued over the rule, saying it overstepped federal authority."

To those familiar with Republican Dino Rossi's record on children's healthcare, his steadfast support for Bush's veto will come as no surprise. As the Chair of the Senate Ways and Means Committee in 2003, Rossi used children's health insurance as a "bargaining chip" in his budget negotiations, threatening to slash kids' health care to get what he wanted. After opposing the SCHIP program from its very inception, Rossi's "signature budget" tried to throw 46,000 low-income kids of their health insurance by slashing eligibility levels.

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Rossi with Bush, Not Washington's Kids

Rossi Supported Bush's Veto of the Federal SCHIP Bill. "There's a children's health care expansion bill pending in D.C. that President Bush has already vetoed once-and now a new one is coming his way. If the bill fails it could undermine legislation passed in Olympia last session that expanded children's health care coverage. Rossi supports Bush's veto. His campaign told me this morning that expanding coverage to 300 percent of the federal poverty level, which is what the federal bill (and our state bill) does, is the "wrong approach," explaining: "the majority of new children that are going to be coming on are either illegal or they currently have health insurance from the private sector." (Seattle Stranger, 10/30/07)

Non-Partisan Children's Advocates Say Rossi's Position Mirrors Bush's. "Jon Gould, deputy director of the Children's Alliance, a statewide children's advocacy organization, said Rossi's comments 'appear to be directly in line with President Bush's position and in direct contrast to Washington state's law that passed with bipartisan support.' Rossi declined to comment on Bush's veto, saying, 'I'm not going there.'" (Seattle PI, 10/9/07)

In Olympia, Rossi Voted Against Even Creating the Children's Health Insurance Program. In the Senate Ways and Means Committee, Rossi voted against creating the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), a program that would expand health care coverage to about 10,000 Washington children through federal matching funds. Washington and Wyoming were the only states that had not signed onto the program. (SB 5416, 2/24/99; Seattle PI, 3/26/99; AP, 3/11/99)

Rossi's "Signature Budget" in 2003 Threw 46,000 Low-Income Kids of Health Care. "Perhaps the most controversial provision is a proposal to eliminate coverage for an estimated 46,000 children in the state Medicaid program... But in order to help restore some of Locke's cuts, the Senate Republicans want to save about $100 million by dramatically overhauling the state's Medicaid program that currently serves nearly 600,000 children. The GOP plan would lower the income-eligibility level, leaving an estimated 46,000 kids without coverage. Rossi's budget also counts on the state getting permission from the federal government to charge monthly premiums as high as $40." (Seattle Times, 4/2/2003)