Thread: CA: Time to ax program

Time to ax program
The Bakersfield Californian | Thursday, Jan 21 2010 08:04 PM

Last Updated Thursday, Jan 21 2010 08:04 PM


This is in response to Larry J. Rhoades' Jan. 9 Community Voices article, "Kern kids' health is in jeopardy."

Our elected officials, newspaper, TV/radio news stations or conservative talk show hosts must uncover a secret fact. The public doesn't know (where's the transparency?) that the Healthy Kids program primarily insures undocumented (or illegal) children who don't qualify for Medi-Cal or Healthy Families. Healthy Kids is funded primarily through tobacco tax dollars -- is this appropriate use of taxpayer dollars?

Poor/low income children receive health care through Medi-Cal or Healthy Families -- depending on family income/size and immigration status (among other things). This is free or low-cost health care.

Rhoades, of First 5 Kern, said depending on the child's family income, they are eligible for the various heath programs. He failed to mention another very important eligibility requirement -- the child's immigration status.

Can we really afford to insure the undocumented when so many of our own citizens are underinsured or even uninsured, or when programs our own citizens qualify for (such as Healthy Families) are facing funding challenges due to federal/state budget shortfalls?

Healthy Kids programs have dissolved in other California counties. Why not make the same tough decisions in Kern County?

PETE E. LEE

Bakersfield

www.bakersfield.com

Pete, let's try "Americans and the quality of American life first in this magnificent country."