The Bush administration has challenged state eligibility criteria in its on-going battle over expanding SCHIP, State Children's Health Insurance Program. State health commissioners received notice of a new federal policy by letter last Friday evening, saying 95 percent of the kids at 200 percent of the federal poverty level, or $41,300 for a family of four, must be enrolled before more children will be accepted. Previously states, especially those with high costs of living, set their own limits -- 300 percent in Pennsylvania and California, 350 percent in New Jersey, and in New York the legislature recently increased the limit to 400 percent poverty level. State officials worry that achieving a 95 percent enrollment is nearly impossible. Meanwhile, they expect thousands will go untreated. For many youngsters SCHIP opened a door to psychiatric treatment.
