The extension of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program was rejected by the Bush administration a few months ago, but the Strickland administration is now approaching the feds again about SCHIP — to see if they can expand it.

Last October, President George W. Bush vetoed the expansion of SCHIP to families with children, who are 300 percent of the poverty level, or families with four people that have an income of less than $62,000. The program provides insurance for children who are not covered by Medicaid.

Now, Gov. Ted Strickland’s administration wants to expand the program, which is currently capped at 200 percent, to families at 250 percent of the federal poverty line. The expansion would begin April 1.

“They’re trying to get all the details,” said Rep. Jimmy Stewart, R-Athens. Stewart sponsored Ohio House Bill 6, which was combined with the budget bill passed June 2007.

He added that Ohio needs federal approval because SCHIP insures children under Medicaid, which is federally funded, and Strickland needs to get the OK from the Bush administration before he can apply the expansion to Ohio.

The expanded SCHIP would offer coverage to more than 20,000 Ohio children, including many of the almost 1,200 uninsured children in Athens County.