Release: McCain May Get Wish: Fewer Arizona Children Insured
March 16, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 16, 2010
McCain May Get Wish: Fewer Arizona Children Insured
U.S. Sen. John McCain may finally get his health-care wish, which is less care for fewer of Arizona’s children.
The Arizona legislature voted to permanently end the state’s participation in the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), 13 years after McCain voted against it and 3 years after leading the charge against reauthorizing the popular bi-partisan program.
McCain’s home state of Arizona is now the first and only state to ever opt out of SCHIP.
“Health care is like a musket on the frontier,” said Tucson Vice Mayor Rodney Glassman, who is exploring a run for the U.S. Senate, “Having it or not having it is a matter of life and death. While Congress contemplates taking a step forward, Arizona is following John McCain’s lead and taking a great leap backward. Our children will pay the price.”
Some 42,000 kids are now on SCHIP in Arizona but will lose their health care, along with another 376,000 Arizonans, on Jan 1. 2011 , if the governor signs the bill. Those people will, in turn, show up in emergency rooms, drive up costs for the insured and further drive more people off health insurance.
Additionally, this bill would kill tens of thousands of health care jobs, if the governor signs it.
“I would hope this budget does not become law,” Glassman said. “This is the wrong time to force more Americans off of health care, and this is the wrong time to put more people out of work.”
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