Governor Rod Blagojevich hasn't exactly been making us Dems in Illinois proud. A
recent poll puts his approval at only 36%. Ouch.
So it's not surprising that many are questioning his motives in revolutionizing the state's child health care system. Kinda like how former Gov. Ryan put a moratorium on the death penalty right before he was indicted, some say.
Whatever the motive, the fact remains that "All Kids Covered" is a "big idea" proposal of the sort we've been demanding from our party for a long time.
All Kids would provide "comprehensive, affordable health insurance for every child." Illinois would become the first state in the nation to implement such a broad plan.
Our state, like most states, already has a child health insurance program. KidCare currently has 1.2 million children enrolled. Under KidCare, a family of four with an income of just under $40,000 can enroll for discounted care.
But the Governor's proposal reaches out to middle class families, who are often forgotten and whose needs often go unchecked.
The Chicago Trib details the plan (and the controversy):
Under All Kids, a family of four earning between $40,000 and $59,999 a year would pay a $40.25 monthly premium per child and a $10.10 co-payment for a doctor visit. A family of four earning between $60,000 and $79,999 would pay a $70.45 monthly premium per child and a $15.15 co-payment per doctor visit. Children from families with higher incomes would join the program at varying premiums and co-payments.
Whatever the politics behind it, I'm thrilled that I'm seeing a hint at that Party Of Big Ideas I always wished our party would be. Health insurance is a need that affects everything, from school performance (pdf) to insurance costs for all Americans(pdf).
Why is this proposal so important? Ethically, the reasons are obvious. But politically, this proposal should be a prime example of how to focus the agenda of the Democratic Party.
Democrats have already put forth the "Kids First Act of 2005", which would provide universal health care coverage for anyone under 19 (there are some 19 MILLION people who don't have health insurance in this age group). HR 1668 and its companion bill S. 114 (introduced by Senator Kerry) are the first sprouts of a new Democratic agenda.
If the Governor's plan proves successful, this could be a major issue for the 2008 election.