Lackluster Legacy On Health Care

President Bush didn't dally on the matter of health care during last night's State of the Union address, but he did flick at some tired themes: tax breaks for individual health insurance buyers (as opposed to employers); pooled insurance policies that help small businesses save money by spreading risk; and the expansion of Health Savings Accounts, which allow consumers to sock away pretax dollars to cover medical expenses. Yet the one issue that didn't merit mention--the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP)--may likely be the linchpin of Bush's legacy on health care, both for small businesses and the Republican party. Twice last fall, Bush vetoed bills to double funding for SCHIP, a 10-year-old program that offers free or low-cost health insurance to children of low-income families. Last week, the House again failed to override the president's veto.