“Just before its August recess both the House of Representatives and the Senate passed legislation that would substantially expand SCHIP. The Senate bill would allow states to broaden SCHIP coverage to families making up to 300 percent of the federal poverty level and the House bill sets no income eligibility limits on the program. And some states are eager to use SCHIP to subsidize middle class health insurance for kids. For example, New Jersey wants to expand SCHIP coverage to 350 percent of the poverty level and New York wants to go up to 400 percent…. Consider that the U.S. Census Bureau estimates that the median income for a four-person family is below $80,000 in all but five states; at 400 percent of the poverty level, more than half of all American families could qualify for expanded SCHIP.” (08/28/07)