Will All Kids Go National?

By Amy Hart in News on Dec 14, 2005 5:22PM

Governor Blagojevich was in Washington DC earlier this week in an attempt to turn his All Kids insurance plan into a national program.

All Kids, which offers low cost health insurance to Illinois children, was signed into law by Blago last month, and is scheduled to officially begin in July of 2006, although pre-registration is currently underway on the program’s website.

All Kids has garnered national attention as other states and the national government look for ways to provide healthcare at low costs.

On Monday Blago was in DC and held a press conference at the National Press Club, sponsored by healthcare advocacy group Families USA, to tout All Kids and the need to help uninsured children across the country.

Yesterday Blago was on hand as Illinois Senator Dick Durbin and Representative Rahm Emanuel introduced the All Kids Health Insurance Coverage Act of 2005, which aims to allow the federal government to assist states in offering health insurance to children through the expansion of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program to all families, regardless of income. It is estimated that Durbin and Emanuel’s national All Kids program could be fully funded by eliminating some tax cuts and would cost $21 billion per year.

In other All Kids news, state Republicans continue to bash the program as a Blago election ploy, with gubernatorial candidate Bill Brady going so far to say he would end the program if elected. Geez, what’s next, Brady? Want to end programs that feed hungry children, too? Republican gubernatorial frontrunner Judy Baar Topinka hasn’t said much about the program recently, but that is because she is probably too busy mentioning Jim Edgar’s name.