I know I should be doing my music reporting but, I had to share this. Illinois has become the first state to offer low- to no cost medical insurance children, a lifline to the 253,000 kids without healthcare. There used to be a song used in an ad for the state tourism board called "Illinois, you've put me in a happy state." I must admit,you have.
http://www.suntimes.com/...
From Gov. Rod Blagojevich:
At one point or another, nearly everyone has lived through the experience of seeing a loved one cope with sickness or a serious injury. You only have to go through that experience once to know just how much it means to have health insurance. Yet more than a quarter of a million children right here in Illinois do not have health insurance. That means they can't see a doctor or get medicine when they need to. When they do get medical care, it's often in the emergency room, after a small problem has grown into a big problem. That's wrong. I believe every child should be able to get medical care when they need it, before it becomes an emergency.
That's why in October of 2005, I proposed a new program called All Kids, which will make Illinois the first state in the nation to provide affordable, comprehensive health insurance for every child. Of the 253,000 children in Illinois without health insurance, more than half come from working and middle class families who earn too much to qualify for programs like KidCare, but not enough to afford private health insurance. Through All Kids, comprehensive health insurance will be available to every uninsured child at rates their parents can afford.
The All Kids program will offer Illinois' uninsured children comprehensive health care that includes doctor's visits, hospital stays, prescription drugs, vision care, dental care and medical devices like eyeglasess and asthma inhalers. Parents will pay monthly premiums for the coverage, but rates for middle-income families will be significantly lower than they are on the private market. For instance, a family of four that earns between $40,000 and $59,999 a year will pay a $40 monthly premium per child, and a $10 co-pay per physician visit.
State Senate President Emil Jones and House Speaker Michael Madigan sponsored our plan in the legislature, and the bill creating the All Kids health insurance program passed On October 27, 2005 during the fall veto session. I plan to sign the bill into law very shortly, and that means the program will be up and running by July 1, 2006.
He signed that bill in to law yesterday. I know that Gov. Rod is not popular with Illinois people. I must confess I am out of the loop (literally) when it comes to the politics of my state since I've not lived there in 4 years. But this is great. I am lucky enough to live in a country that has nationalised health and dental care. Just last night, I was able to get 2 fillings done and just deal with the pain in my mouth, not in my wallet. I'm also a mom, and whenever my son is sick, it's comforting to know my doctor is on the other end of the phone when I need him. The NHS does have problems, but when you come from a place that has nothing if you are poor, it's like manna from heaven.
All parents know how scary it is when your kids get sick. It's even harder when your kid has a chronic ailment such as asthma (which is very common among low-income children)and you have no idea how you are going to pay for a doctor's appointment.
Besides the obvious benefits of having insured children, this measure will lead to emptier emergency rooms, since parent's will be able to take their children to the doctor for a viral infection, instead of the emergency room. They'll also be able to ask questions on treatment by a doctor who has more time to listen, instead of an ER doc with an overload of patients.
So I am a happy gal from the Land of Lincoln. Now, I must get back to work, paying musicians royalties!