If Congress does not renew the law, Utah has $19.6 million left to spend on the program, which would carry those using the health insurance through April, according to Dennis Smith, director of the Center for Medicaid and State Operations, which is part of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

Leavitt said the government must not "own the health care system" but "organize" it.

But some say to just increase the program by $5 billion will leave many children uninsured.

Its final price tag for the House Democrats version of the bill introduced Tuesday has not been calculated yet but on top of the $50 billion for SCHIP, there may be at least $40 billion in additional spending. The House Democrats raise the money through a 45 cent tax on cigarettes, slightly lower than the 61 cent tax approved by the Senate panel.

Rep. John Dingell, D-Mich., who heads the House Energy and Commerce Committee that will take up the bill today, has circulated a letter to fellow House members saying 3.6 million children would lose coverage over the president's plan.

"Who would deny a little girl coverage that ensures her asthma medicine gets refilled every month," Dingell wrote in a July 18 letter. "Who would deny a young boy coverage that takes care of a broken arm? Apparently this administration believe 3.6 million children don't deserve such health security."

Dingell insists his bill will protect those who already receive coverage through SCHIP and keep the program flexible for states.

Meanwhile, Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas, the House Energy and Commerce Committee's top Republican, introduced his own version of the bill Wednesday that simply reauthorizes SCHIP and would only increase spending by about $1.5 billion.

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E-mail: suzanne@desnews.com