Running Head: Texas State Children's Health Insurance Program. Proposed Solutions for the Continuance of the Texas State Children's Health Insurance Program

摘要

Although healthcare is not a right specified in the Constitution of the United States, many feel a social obligation to provide healthcare to the elderly, disabled, and children. The elderly and disabled receive health coverage benefits through Medicare and Medicaid. Established in 1997, the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) is one of the mechanisms to provide uninsured children with health. The State Children's Health Insurance Program was up for renewal in August/September of 2007. President Bush twice vetoed renewal legislation; however, he did grant an extension of the program through March 2009. SCHIP has since been extended under the new Presidential administration; however, millions of children are still without insurance. Now that SCHIP renewal has been passed, the state of Texas will need to determine a level of support and a course of action to account for approximately 1.5 million uninsured children in Texas (Texas Health Care Primer, 2007).