In 2007, Hawaii enacted the first universal health insurance law for children in the country. State Legislature created the program, Keiki Care, to provide health insurance coverage for all children, regardless of income level.
CNN and the Associated Press reported that all children enrolled in Keiki Care were entitled to free health insurance, with a $7 copay for doctor's visits. The program was cut seven months after it was in effect, by Governor Linda Lingle. Her reasoning for this was an overall $900 budget deficit by the year 2011.
Governor Lingle's actions are resulting in 2,000 children in Hawaii losing health insurance coverage. Her administration cites that most of the Keiki Care enrolled children has dropped theri previous insurance for this free coverage.
An administrator at the state Department of Human Services said, "People who were already able to afford health care began to stop paying for it so they could get it for free. I don't believe that was the intent of the program." Some residents were not happy with the republican governor's move.
"We're very disappointed in the state's decision, and it came as a complete surprise to us. We believe the program is working, and given Hawaii's economic uncertainty, we don't think now is the time to cut all funding for this kind of program," said a spokesperson for the Hawaii Medical Service Association. There are a few things we see with this program cut.
It seems a little weird that the governor would sign the program into law last year, and not realize a deficit in the future. As well as the fact that 2,000 children will have their insurance dropped, it seems strange that a governor would approve a law, then kill it soon after. Lawmakers seem to agree with this observation.
"Children are a lot more vulnerable in terms of needing care. It's not very good to try to be a leader and then renege on that commitment," stated Hawaii Senator Suzanne Chun Oakland. And, when it was mentioned that the people who enrolled in Keiki Care dropped their private insurance to do so, we are wondering if that was because they were trying to cheat the system, or if they were paying too much for their own private coverage? We would all like to hear an explanation from the governor on this. - 15224
CNN and the Associated Press reported that all children enrolled in Keiki Care were entitled to free health insurance, with a $7 copay for doctor's visits. The program was cut seven months after it was in effect, by Governor Linda Lingle. Her reasoning for this was an overall $900 budget deficit by the year 2011.
Governor Lingle's actions are resulting in 2,000 children in Hawaii losing health insurance coverage. Her administration cites that most of the Keiki Care enrolled children has dropped theri previous insurance for this free coverage.
An administrator at the state Department of Human Services said, "People who were already able to afford health care began to stop paying for it so they could get it for free. I don't believe that was the intent of the program." Some residents were not happy with the republican governor's move.
"We're very disappointed in the state's decision, and it came as a complete surprise to us. We believe the program is working, and given Hawaii's economic uncertainty, we don't think now is the time to cut all funding for this kind of program," said a spokesperson for the Hawaii Medical Service Association. There are a few things we see with this program cut.
It seems a little weird that the governor would sign the program into law last year, and not realize a deficit in the future. As well as the fact that 2,000 children will have their insurance dropped, it seems strange that a governor would approve a law, then kill it soon after. Lawmakers seem to agree with this observation.
"Children are a lot more vulnerable in terms of needing care. It's not very good to try to be a leader and then renege on that commitment," stated Hawaii Senator Suzanne Chun Oakland. And, when it was mentioned that the people who enrolled in Keiki Care dropped their private insurance to do so, we are wondering if that was because they were trying to cheat the system, or if they were paying too much for their own private coverage? We would all like to hear an explanation from the governor on this. - 15224
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