In his news conference, Bush said there is a "philosophical divide" over the best approach to health care, with Democrats wanting to give the government more power and use CHIP as an "an incremental step toward the goal of government-run health care for every American."

"I have a different view," Bush said. "I believe the best approach is to put more power in the hands of individuals by empowering people and their doctors to make health-care decisions that are right for them."

SCHIP was initially passed 10 years ago — with Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, as one of its main authors. Leavitt emphasized at the press conference that the aim of the original measure was to give coverage to children who live at less than 200 percent of the poverty line.

Hatch helped pushed through the Senate's latest version of the bill, which includes an increase in the federal tax on cigarettes and other tobacco products to help fund the expansion. The bill would add 3.2 million children to the CHIP program over the next five years and continue services to the 6.6 million kids currently being served.

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