Medical coverage for more children advances

OLYMPIA — More than half of Washington's uninsured children — including some illegal immigrants — could receive health-care coverage under a bill passed by state lawmakers Tuesday.

The proposal that cleared the House 68-28 is now headed to Gov. Christine Gregoire for her signature. The Senate approved the measure earlier this session, and Gregoire has said she would sign it.

Supporters say the bill, Senate Bill 5093, would provide health-care coverage for 38,000 of the state's 73,000 uninsured children.

"It's a historic vote for children," said Jon Gould, deputy director of the Children's Alliance, an advocacy group for children.

Critics charge that the program diverts money from taxpayers and the poorest citizens to cover illegal immigrants and too many middle-class families.

Under the legislation, all children under age 19 in families with an annual household income up to 250 percent of the federal poverty level — about $50,000 annually for a family of four — would qualify for government-subsidized health care.

Coverage would be free for those under 200 percent of the federal poverty level. Families making from 200 to 250 percent of poverty would pay a fee based on a sliding scale.

The cost of covering the thousands of additional children is estimated at $36 million over the next two years but is expected to go much higher in later years.

The legislation would make it easier for parents to enroll their children in existing health programs funded by state and federal money, said Christina Hulet, the governor's chief health-policy adviser.

Hulet said the bill creates one application for three different children's health-care programs, grants all residents under age 19 — citizens or not — the same coverage, and provides outreach to get more kids enrolled.

The federal government doesn't allow states to cover illegal-immigrant children through Medicaid, the state and federal health-care program for the poor.

Washington provides coverage for the poorest of these kids through the state-funded Children's Health Program. The legislation that passed Tuesday would cover more immigrant children through that program.

Rep. Bill Hinkle, R-Cle Elum, said that expanding coverage for non-taxpaying illegal immigrants puts too much strain on the state because the program would not be matched by federal dollars.

"We can say they're just children, but in my mind if we don't support Washington families first, we put everybody at risk," Hinkle said. "We put the people we are trying to help at risk."

He and other critics also oppose two provisions that would take effect in 2009: Families earning up to 300 percent of the poverty level, or $60,000 a year for a family of four, could receive state-subsidized coverage; and families making more could buy coverage from the state for their children at full cost.

Critics say families would opt out of their current health-insurance plans to take advantage of government-subsidized health care for their children, and that businesses would use the program as an excuse not to cover their employees' dependents.

Rep. Glenn Anderson, R-Fall City, called the bill a "big business corporate health-care subsidy."

House Majority Leader Lynn Kessler, D-Hoquiam, disagreed.

"This bill is about children — poor children and middle-class children," she said.

Elliott Wilson: 360-236-8169 or ewilson@seattletimes.com