http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_pag...u_sid=10248208

Published Saturday | February 2, 2008
Child health-care plan drafted in Iowa (would exclude children of illegal immigrants)
DES MOINES (AP) — Most Iowa parents would be required to provide health care for their children by 2010 under a plan a state legislator will introduce next week.

State Sen. Jack Hatch, D-Des Moines, said such a requirement is needed to enroll the remaining 45,000 or so children who now lack health insurance, the Des Moines Register reported Friday. About half of those children qualify for low-cost government insurance plans, but their parents haven't signed them up.

"I think we've done everything we can do to get these kids signed up in conventional ways," Hatch said.

The requirement would be part of a package of health care bills that Hatch said he would introduce Tuesday. The bills will include recommendations made last month by a health care panel of which Hatch is the co-chairman.

Iowa has long worked to add more children to Medicaid and the state's Hawk-I program. Last week, Gov. Chet Culver proposed spending $4.4 million next year to add about 7,500 children to the rolls.

Hatch's plan probably would exclude children of illegal immigrants, who aren't eligible for federal funds that pay for Medicaid and Hawk-I.

Under Hatch's proposal, uninsured children would be split into three groups:

• Children who qualify for Medicaid or Hawk-I but aren't enrolled. Hatch predicted it would cost $15 million to $20 million to cover them.

• Children from families that make too much money to qualify for Hawk-I, and Hatch called for $6 million to $8 million in subsidies for private policies. Hawk-I now has about a $41,000 income limit for a family of four; this plan would aid families who earn up to about $62,000.

• Children from families that earn more than $62,000. The families would be required to buy insurance and could get state help in finding affordable policies.

Brad Anderson, a spokesman for the governor, said Culver wants all Iowa children covered, but Anderson declined to say whether Culver would favor a requirement.