House Budget Resolution to Cover All Children Eligible For SCHIP

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on Friday announced that the fiscal year 2008 House budget resolution will include a reserve fund to cover the cost of enrollment of all eligible children in SCHIP, CQ HealthBeat reports.

According to congressional analysts, about six million eligible children are not enrolled in SCHIP. The reserve fund would address funds for the planned five-year reauthorization of SCHIP, which expires on Sept. 30. In a statement, Pelosi said that lawmakers would offset the cost of the reserve fund in other parts of the budget resolution. Pelosi did not discuss the amount of the reserve fund.

Senate Finance Committee Chair Max Baucus (D-Mont.) Chair Max Baucus (D-Mont.) has proposed an additional $50 billion for SCHIP over five years, while a congressional staffer cited the cost of enrolling all eligible children at $32 billion based on Congressional Budget Office data. The House likely will vote on the budget resolution during the week of March 26. Pelosi also said that during the week of March 19 the House likely will vote on a supplemental appropriations bill that includes $750 million to cover deficits in federal funds for SCHIP in 14 states this year.