Earlier today (Dec. 16), I mistakenly posted an item about the governor's budget-cutting, suggesting that it would eliminate state funding for care to additional patients under the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). In fact, the governor is proposing cuts to a different program for children, covering only children who are undocumented citizens.
Jonathan Seib of the Governor's Office properly corrects me: "Rather, she proposes cutting the Children’s Health Program (CHP), which provides coverage to children residing in the state who are unable to document their U.S. citizenship — and are thus prohibited from participating in the federal program. CHP is fully state funded, and shares little of the history which your article goes to some length to document for the CHIP program."
He adds, "And while for us this is a cut that is no less painful, inaccurate reporting about what the Governor has or has not proposed doesn’t do anyone any good."
Arizona has retreated in its support for the care of poor children under CHIP. So, it's perhaps more impressive that Gregoire has avoided doing that.
My apologies to all for misunderstanding the difference and failing to check.
