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August 29, 2007 at 11:14 AM
New York State Governor Eliot Spitzer offered harsh criticism of new federal rules governing the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, saying they will block his state’s efforts to cover more children.
Spitzer says New York may fight the new rules in court if necessary.
Appearing with U.S. House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., Spitzer said the 2 had met recently with the state’s Health Commissioner to discuss new rules for the SCHIP program, announced by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, that would limit the ability of states to expand the SCHIP program’s coverage.
“We are calling on President Bush to abolish these troublesome roadblocks to insuring our nation’s children,” Spitzer said. “The President should invest in the health of America’s children and allow states like New York, and nearly 20 others, to implement programs that will help ensure that more and more children receive the healthy beginning they deserve.”
The new CMS rules would block not only New York’s planned expansion of the program, but also block the plans or roll back prior expansions in 17 other states as well as the District of Columbia, according to Spitzer.
New Jersey Governor John Corzine has also criticized the new regulations.
