In 2007, Congress passed a bill extending and expanding the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, or SCHIP.  It was promptly vetoed by Bush.  I cheered.

A new SCHIP bill was introduced by Democrat Senator Sam Baucus of Montana.  Baucus is quoted as saying the new bill is “nearly identical” to the 2007 bill.

So what was wrong with the 2007 bill?  Congressman John Boehner gave us 20 simple reasons to oppose the SCHIP bill.  Here’s five:

1. Includes Stealth Tax Increase on Private Health Care Plans. The Democrats’ bill includes a stealth tax increase that will drain money from the Medicare trust fund and increase taxes on every American with a health insurance plan.
2. Allows 25-Year-Old “Children” to Receive SCHIP Benefits. A “child” can be 25 years old under this children’s health insurance program.
3. Provides Benefits for Illegal Immigrants. Opens the door for SCHIP and Medicaid benefits for illegal immigrants by eliminating the requirement that persons applying for such services show proof of citizenship or nationality.
4. Eliminates Income Eligibility Restrictions for SCHIP. The Democrats’ bill allows anyone to be eligible for free health care through a program that was intended to serve low-income children.
5. Allows States Access to Unlimited Waivers to Enroll Adults. This bill does nothing to rein in the numbers of waivers given to states allowing them to enroll hundreds of thousands of childless adults, who are simply taking away limited resources from low-income, uninsured children.

This bill is “nearly identical.”

And there is no Republican in the White House to stop this one. 

Michelle Malkin is liveblogging the debate here.

Related posts:

• Do the Dems Want the SCHIP bill to Fail?
• Pelosi Begins Push to Override Bush’s SCHIP Veto
• Still Too Much for the SCHIP Program
• Local doctors rally for kids’ health insurance
• How is the Health Care Program in Massachusetts Working Out?