Dana Wolfe Naimark and Leonard Kirschner’s article “State Insurance Plan for Kids is Wise, Just” (June 26) suggests the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) should be expanded because it’s been “a wise investment.”
It has been anything but a wise investment. Arizona has the sixth-largest percentage of uninsured children in the nation, yet the Government Accountability Office (GAO) estimates that 56 percent of enrollees in Arizona’s SCHIP program are actually adults. The program is supposed to cover children–it’s little wonder why Arizona ranks so poorly.
An additional $50 billion for SCHIP is unnecessary. Arizona taxpayers should ask SCHIP to refocus on the children and not on their wallets.
Dane G. Wendell ([email protected]) is a legislative specialist for The Heartland Institute. He is author of Heartland’s forthcoming “State Welfare Report Card,” which describes welfare reform successes and failures in the 50 states.
