March 12, 2004
Left behind: 21,000 (and not counting)
Don’t be fooled by Jeb!’s high profile signing of the KidCare bill. The bill allows 90.000 kids into the insurance program (which could and should have been done before now) but makes it harder for others to join, it leaves 21,000 kids behind by excluding them right off the bat, and in a very Orwellian twist, the bill eliminates the existence of a waiting list so that we will never again know how many kids are being left out of this program. No list, no problem!
A $25 million expansion of the popular KidCare program was signed into law Thursday by Gov. Jeb Bush, a move that covers 90,000 needy children now on a waiting list for the subsidized health care program but that critics say will deprive thousands of others. ......The measure tightens eligibility requirements and abolishes wait lists, effectively preventing the state from tracking how many needy children aren't getting insurance.
......Republicans tout the new law because it enrolls the more than 90,000 children on the wait list through Jan. 30.
Democrats say the legislation does nothing to help the more than 21,000 additional children who have tried to sign up since that date.
That includes about 560 children in Hillsborough County, 270 in Pinellas County and 150 in Pasco County.
``We're not finished fighting this,'' said social services advocate Karen Woodall.
``We're going to have to work throughout the session to fix some of the policy changes.''
The law stipulates that families must prove they meet income restrictions and have no employer-provided health care benefits.
Parents who have access to employer-provided coverage may enroll their children in KidCare if the cost of the private policy exceeds 5 percent of their income.
Democrats, however, argue the new restrictions are too strict.
``Every child in Florida should have health insurance,'' said House Minority Leader Doug Wiles, D-St. Augustine.
``This program isn't a handout. It's an opportunity to buy critical health protections for their children.''
Bush said the ``critics defy logic,'' and that he is astounded by those who say the legislation limits access to insurance.
``It has never been intended to serve as cheaper insurance,'' Bush said.
``We will have to protect the integrity of its intent.''
Jeb! is doing a marvelous job of protecting the integrity of the intent of denying healthcare to those who need it most.
Posted by Norwood at March 12, 2004 06:11 AM