GOP cutting funds for CDC program.

The blog Little Green Footballs is addressing an upcoming decision by the GOP to cut funding for the Center for Disease Control (CDC).  The CDC's immunization and respiratory health program provides free and low cost vaccinations primarily to low income families.  The proposed budget for 2011 would cut approximately $156 million from the CDC's immunization and respiratory health program.  Arguments on this issue are strong in both directions. 

On one hand, this program performs the essential tasks of informing the public about disease prevention, checking to see which vaccines are working, and potentially preventing outbreaks of disease to the public.  Some say it's "false savings" to cut funding to this program since the cost of an outbreak or epidemic could outweigh the cost of the vaccines.

The other side of the argument is that the government should not be as involved in health care plans and citizens should take more control of managing their family's health, including paying for services.  There is also concern about how the money is being spent by the states.  For example, California has received over 250 billion dollars over the last ten years for this program, and yet, they still have some of the lowest immunization in the country.  So where is that money going? 

As a working mom with kids, this is an issue that hits close to home with me.  My husband and I do not sit around and collect government benefits instead of going to work.  We are a self employed family that has a hard time finding health coverage that we can afford and that will even cover us.  Without programs such as CHIP my children may not have health insurance at all and vaccines or health care might possibly not even be an option.  As it is, there is a short fall of vaccines.  Just this past winter I was told that my children could not get the flu shot because of the health plan that they had, unless I could pay out of pocket.   I do think that states should be held accountable for their budgeting of funds that are intended to be used for immunizations and respiratory health programs but I am not sure that cutting funding to this program is beneficial for anyone.  Isn't there something else we can axe first?