According to a cost estimate released by the Congressional Budget Office last Friday, the Senate-passed legislation expanding the State Children’s Health Insurance Program would enroll an additional 6.1 million children in SCHIP and Medicaid. However, 2.1 million would lose their private health insurance. So while the legislation would provide government-run health care to 6.1 million children, it would reduce the number of uninsured children by only 4 million.

That’s government efficiency for you: extending health insurance to two children for the price of three!

I’ll be discussing SCHIP at a Capitol Hill Briefing with Patrick Fleenor of the Tax Foundation on September 13 (register now) and in an upcoming Cato Briefing Paper to be released the same day.