Max Baucus: “I say of all the beneficiaries to date under the Children's Health Insurance Program today, 91 percent are children at…”

“I say of all the beneficiaries to date under the Children's Health Insurance Program today, 91 percent are children at or below 200 percent of poverty. This program is for kids. I know all this concern about adults and I share the Senator's concern about adults. I share it very strongly. We worked very hard on this bill to cut down adults, as the Senator knows. Childless adults are phased out after 2 years and parents are much lower--get a poorer rate. The third category of adults, pregnant women, there is a State option. But the biggest concern, I am sure, of the Senator from Alabama is childless adults. This is supposed to be a kid's program, not an adult's program. We say, OK, after 2 years you are off. As the Senator also knows, back in the Deficit Reduction Act, when that was passed, we prevented HHS from granting any waivers for childless adults in the future.”