Newspapers recently published two opinion pieces that criticize efforts to expand SCHIP. Summaries appear below.Robert Novak, New York Post: Legislation that would provide an additional $50 billion to expand SCHIP "is the thin edge of the wedge to achieve the longtime goal of government-supplied health insurance and the suffocation of the private system," Novak writes in a Post opinion piece. According to Novak, "The overall effect [of the bill] would make three out of four American children accustomed to relying on government care no matter what course their parents take." He adds, "In sum, SCHIP turns out to be socialized medicine for 'kids' (and many adults)." He concludes, "The future is now for universal health care coverage, and President Bush may soon face the decision of whether or not to veto it going into the election year" (Novak, New York Post, 6/28).

Kimberley Strassel, Wall Street Journal: "If Republicans don't unify now" in support of "free-market reform to replace today's fattening employer-based system," the expansion of SCHIP could "prove the beginning of the end of today's private model," Journal columnist Strassel writes in an opinion piece. The expansion would "enact national health care one citizen at a time, slowly expanding the reach of existing government programs until they encompass the population," according to Strassel. Democrats fund the program by "gut[ting] Medicare Advantage and similar free-market reforms" -- a "craftier approach" to achieving the reforms proposed by HillaryCare in the 1990s, Strassel writes. "[B]ackroom talks" held this week "by health care innovators" established a Republican goal to create "a system that eliminates today's corporate subsidy and gives the money to individuals, cutting costs and reducing the number of uninsured," Strassel says. According to Strassel, after "10 years of tinkering, Republicans have laid the foundation for a bigger reform," and "Republican leaders" are thought to be "climbing on board, with all concerned hoping to debut something big in coming weeks." She writes, "The challenge then will be to get the rest of the party to overcome its nervelessness on health care" because the "brawl" over SCHIP "could well determine the future direction of U.S. health care" (Strassel, Wall Street Journal, 6/29).

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