President Signs Bill to Expand Coverage for Kids

President Obama today signed legislation that will allow about 7 million children to continue coverage through the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) and allow another 4 million to sign up. The president called the expansion a first step to providing coverage for all Americans. "The way I see it, providing coverage to 11 million children through SCHIP is a down payment on my commitment to cover every single American," he said at a White House bill-signing ceremony.

The Nevada family in this article, who have a child with Down Syndrome who has needed four operations, calls SCHIP their lifeline. The program is intended to help families like theirs, who make too much money to qualify for Medicaid.