FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) - Texas has passed up a potential $618 million in federal Children's Health Insurance Program funding over the past six years because state lawmakers have consistently failed to meet the matching amount before deadlines.
The state is second only to California in passing up federal CHIP money, according to Families USA, a consumer health advocacy group that tracks federal health funding.
CHIP provides health insurance for children 18 and under from families who cannot afford private health insurance but make too much money to qualify for Medicaid. More than 500,000 Texas children are enrolled.
But state Rep. Garnet Coleman, D-Houston, said CHIP was not a priority for most lawmakers.
"The reason it's not a priority is because poor children don't make campaign contributions and poor children don't vote," said Coleman, a member of the House Public Health Committee. "This is not rocket science. You either want to cover kids or you don't." more:
http://www.woai.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=803BEE80-D182-4DEE-A7C5-041711582CB2I love that quote from Coleman......
Of course the Texas pukes don't want to put any money into the CHIP program, their priority lies soley with special sessions to implement Tom DeLay's redestricting map that will add 7 repuke seats.
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