FREE HEALTH INSURANCE QUOTES Start here...

Select Insurance Type:

Individual Health Group Health Small Business Health Short Term Health Family Health Medicare Supplemental Travel Insurance

Zip code:

The struggle this week between the U.S. Senate panel and President Bush regarding the financing of a children's health care program has many consumers confused, but at its heart the argument is one between making affordable family health insurance more available, and providing children with subsidized medical coverage.

As it's explained at Reuters, "the Senate Finance Committee voted 17-4 to provide an extra $35 billion in health care coverage for low income children, setting the stage for a battle with the White House over an issue that is likely to play a role in next year's presidential election."

The Senate's plan includes financing SCHIP, or the State Children's Health Insurance Program, with a tax hike applied to cigarettes and cigars. The tax would add another $1 to a pack of cigarettes, a move that would also hypothetically deter teen and adult smokers, and as much as $10 to expensive cigars.

The president, on the other hand, wants to make family health insurance better available through tax breaks. In response to the move by the Senate Bush reiterated his opposition to the bill, claiming that "it would expand the government's role in health care and undermine the private U.S. health care system."

Most analysts predict that Bush will veto the bill, but in either case, providing family health insurance that covers children will certainly occupy a lot of the time and energies of upcoming presidential hopefuls.