Politicians like to make speeches about their reverence for children, but when the money's on the table, children are often the ones who are shortchanged. So it's a pleasant surprise to report on some good news for New York State's children. A bill was passed on the final day of the recent session of the legislature which significantly improves the benefits of the state's child health insurance program, Child Health Plus. Vital for Children In New York State, children are eligible for free or low-cost health insurance under either Medicaid or Child Health Plus. Health care for kids is particularly important.
Regular checkups are vital to assure that kids are growing and developing appropriately.
Vision and hearing screenings must be performed, assuring that these problems don't interfere with kids' ability to learn in school. Low-income working families in the city often live without health insurance. This is especially so in African American and Latino neighborhoods, where families work in jobs that do not provide insurance, or, if it is provided, it comes with such high employee contributions that they cannot afford it. In addition, health insurance for children is necessary for the thousands of parents coming off of welfare and looking for jobs. Many single mothers dare not give up health coverage provided by Medicaid, as they need to assure ongoing care to a chronically ill child such as those suffering from asthma, a depressingly common illness of inner-city kids.