13 States Insure More Children

Recommended article by the New York Times, Defying Slump, 13 States Insure More Children that points out what some states are doing and what others are facing cutting back on related to the economy and what they feel their priorities are. Here in Ohio the budget dance has been a nightmare with things like video slot machines being suggested by the State to increase revenue, and as the article points out Ohio is planning on an expansion but a court case has to be dealt with first.

Forty-eight states faced budget shortfalls this year, totaling $121.2 billion, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. But in those that have managed to expand eligibility, governors and legislators said they viewed CHIP as a cost-effective investment.

“In a downturn, the number of people who need the safety net increases,” said Gov. Bill Ritter Jr. of Colorado, a Democrat, whose state levied $600 million in fees on hospitals, some of which will be used to cover an additional 21,000 children.