Patient Power

Hawaii ends “Keiki Care” (You know, for kids!)

From the Associated Press:

Hawaii is dropping the only state universal child health care program in the country just seven months after it launched.

Gov. Linda Lingle’s administration cited budget shortfalls and other available health care options for eliminating funding for the program. A state official said families were dropping private coverage so their children would be eligible for the subsidized plan.

“People who were already able to afford health care began to stop paying for it so they could get it for free,” said Dr. Kenny Fink, the administrator for Med-QUEST at the Department of Human Services. “I don’t believe that was the intent of the program.”

No surprise here. The National Bureau of Economic Research reports that “For every 100 children who are enrolled in public insurance, 60 children lose private insurance”?

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