Illinois To Unveil Insurance Program

The Washington Post ^ | 10/6/05 | Peter Slevin

[libertarianPA]

CHICAGO, Oct. 5 -- Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D) will unveil a proposal Thursday to subsidize health insurance for 253,000 uninsured children in Illinois, a move that specialists describe as more far-reaching than any other program in the country.

Seventy-percent of the state's uninsured children belong to families that earn $40,000 to $80,000 a year -- too much to qualify for government programs but often too little to afford private insurance.

Under Blagojevich's All Kids proposal, endorsed by the leaders of both houses of the state legislature, a family of four earning $40,000 to $59,000 would pay $40 per month per child and $10 per doctor visit.

If the measure becomes law, the Blagojevich administration hopes to enroll 50,000 children the first year at a cost of $45 million.

"Who is falling through the cracks?" asked Barry Maram, director of the Department of Healthcare and Family Services. "The people at poverty levels are often covered, and the people who are making a relatively substantial income are covered through their employer or health insurance they've obtained."

Diane Rowland, who studies the uninsured for the Kaiser Family Foundation, credited Blagojevich with making health coverage a "huge priority."

Other states, including Massachusetts, have talked of extending health care to all children but would not provide as much coverage, according to Blagojevich's office.

[libertarianPA]

Although it should depress me, I get excited when I read stories like this. There are state reps in California trying to get universal health care passed in their state, too.

My hope is that after these programs become financially unsustainable, any attempts to bring such programs to the national platform will surely fail. Of course Medicare is on the verge of collapse and no one will dare say it should be terminated.

People like this governor will actually boast about this program should it get passed as evidence of what he does for poor people. And when it becomes financially insolvent, he'll blame Republican representatives for not putting enough money into the system.

I don't know. Perhaps I should be depressed after all.

[Brilliant]

Insurance is not going to make health care more available. We need more physicians.

[pierrem15]

Of course what will happen is every employer with employees earning 40k-80k and offering health insurance will immediately dump their insurance plan, shifting all costs to the state of Illinois.

More genius from government.

[EagleUSA]

The effectiveness of SOCIALIZED MEDICINE is already established -- but the radical government-control leftists do not care. It is all about POWER AND CONTROL, and they could care less about the results.

[DonnDe]

Insurance is not going to make health care more available. We need more physicians.

And unfortunately Illinois malpractice law is forcing them out of the state in droves.

[DumpsterDiver]

Although it should depress me, I get excited when I read stories like this. There are state reps in California trying to get universal health care passed in their state, too.

I'm in California and for a while I was excited too. Then we ousted Davis and my dreams of seeing California go bankrupt went up in smoke.

I don't know. Perhaps I should be depressed after all.

No, no, no. Hope springs eternal and so I wait for what I hope is the inevitable... the collapse of this state's economy.

Cheers!

[DonnDe]

My hope is that after these programs become financially unsustainable, any attempts to bring such programs to the national platform will surely fail.

Name one government program that is financially unsustainable. That's because when they fail, more money is thrown at the program. Financially sustainable yes, but economically unjustifiable. Don't hold your breath that this collapses in a few years and enlightens the populace.

[libertarianPA]

What scares me is that the Republicans passed that Medicare prescription program that is already estimated to cost $200 billion more than the bill projected.

So, we can't really accuse the Dems of being the Big Government party anymore. I blame them for getting America hooked on this "something for nothing" drug. But the Republicans are becoming a pretty worthy competitor these days.

[libertarianPA]

I apologize. I should have clarified...

Unsustainable in real world terms. In other words, if any of us would spend our money the way the government did. Cuz we don't have anyone we can tax.

[Doctor Stochastic]

Failure never leads to cancellation.

[libertarianPA]

Actually, what we need is to repeal the laws and regulations that make health care artificially expensive. Although, I am all for more doctors, as well.

[DonnDe]

You know better than to ever confuse government and real world. Thanks.

[Brilliant]

More doctors would be the result if they abolished the laws that let the State medical associations determine how many people can go to medical school. You don't even need to increase the funding. Just tell the medical schools they can let more people in.

[Gone GF]

Never mind the malpractice, medical insurance itself adds huge layers of expense and both private and public bureaucracy. But the insurance companies have too much influence to change that system.

[AnimalLover]

A SUGGESTION:

To really get your blood pressure up, go
to today's Empire Journal (Oct 27, 2005) and read the
article:

National Health Plan For Children Another UN Mandate
by Cynthia Janak

This will curl your toenails!