Illinois Governor Promotes Children’s Health Insurance in Washington, D.C.
Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D) on Monday traveled to Washington, D.C., to promote All Kids, a new health insurance program for children in the state, and lobby for improved health coverage for children nationwide, the Chicago Tribune reports (Dorning, Chicago Tribune, 12/13).
All Kids, enacted on Nov. 15, will allow parents of uninsured Illinois children to pay a monthly income-based premium for health insurance that in most cases will cost less than private health coverage (California Healthline, 11/16). All Kids will begin in July 2006.
Blagojevich on Monday met with other Democratic governors to discuss All Kids and spoke at a news conference organized by Families USA to lobby for improved health insurance for children nationwide. On Tuesday, Blagojevich will appear at the Capitol for the announcement of legislation that would provide states with subsidies to establish programs similar to All Kids (Chicago Tribune, 12/13).
Blagojevich will promote the legislation with sponsors Sen. Richard Durbin (D-Ill.) and Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill.) (CQ HealthBeat, 12/12).