Editorial

City can’t tackle kids’ health care

The Portland Tribune, Jun 26, 2008, Updated Oct 30, 2009 (14 Reader comments)

A local physician’s attempt to provide all children in Portland Public Schools with at least minimal health insurance is a noble idea loaded with impracticalities.

The loosely defined health-insurance plan advanced over the past several months by Dr. Gregg Coodley raises numerous questions. And it would come with almost-certain drawbacks. But Coodley has managed, through a combination of hard work and accidental political brilliance (as outlined in today’s Portland Tribune), to put the Portland City Council in a position where it must seriously entertain some semblance of Coodley’s proposal.

We are not sure what Mayor-elect Sam Adams had in mind when he recently committed to study and implement a health insurance plan by September 2009. But we can say for certain that the Portland City Council ought to think hard — very hard — before creating a locally funded health insurance entitlement for every child in Portland.

Good intentions could go awry

Our skepticism about Coodley’s proposal has absolutely nothing to do with the good doctor’s motives. Coodley is trying to address a real moral issue — that of uninsured children who lack access to regular health care.

We strongly agree that health care for children is a matter of crucial importance, but we don’t see how the city can fashion an equitable, efficient and consistently funded program to advance that cause.

1 | 2 Next Page >>

Facebook	Digg	Del.icio.us
Newsvine	Stumbleupon	Reddit