Budget Crisis Threatens Uninsured and People with Disabilities

"If federal help doesn’t arrive soon, things could get worse for poor people who depend on public health insurance." While scary, this article from stateline.com is worth reading. While we all keep an eye on the national economy, remember that some of the real economic impact will be felt at the state level. States are talking about freezing their child health insurance programs, cutting services,

States are asking for two things. First, they want reauthorization and expansion of the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), the federal program that gives states money to provide health insurance for children in families that earn make too much to qualify for Medicaid. Twice, President Bush vetoed bills to do just that. It needs to be reauthorized by March 31. Second, the states want a temporary increase in the federal share of Medicaid, which costs the states and federal government $330 billion each year.