The struggle of big government versus small government persists on Capitol Hill, where some legislators in the 110th Congress desire more bureaucracy in America’s health-care system. American taxpayers are already required to fund government programs that are largely unaccountable, damaging quality and impairing access for individuals over the long term. If America’s legislators want to instill accountability, they must encourage a more competitive health-care market and strong incentives for independent American consumers.

The debate over the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) provides evidence of the divide between those seeking to prevent government expansion, and those seeking to make government our only option. SCHIP was created to insure children whose families are stuck in an income requirement “gap” between Medicaid and private insurance. The program has grown considerably since its inception in 1997, and enrollees today number more than six million, including some 600,000 adults.

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