This editorial appeared in The Anchorage Daily News.
Gov. Sarah Palin has proposed some excellent health care initiatives that will make a big difference to affected families in the coming year.
Most importantly, Palin announced she is backing an expansion of Denali KidCare, the government-funded health insurance for children and pregnant women in working families.
Palin's support, along with a sympathetic new administration in Washington, D.C., should convince reluctant legislators that it's time for Alaska to cover more uninsured children.
The governor wants to extend the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) to families earning up to twice the federal poverty level – $44,000 for a family of three.
Now coverage is limited to those earning a maximum of 175 percent of the poverty level, or $38,500 for a family of three – an income that doesn't leave room for buying non-essentials like health insurance.
To read the complete editorial, visit The Anchorage Daily News.