Opinion

We should be able to insure all our children

Editorial

We share Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's hope to insure California's kids. Whether they are in this nation illegally or not, minors deserve coverage for this reason alone: They're children.

Denying youngsters true access to the health care system - not just swelling emergency rooms - because of decisions made by their parents is cruel. And costly. Preventive care, paid by that proverbial ounce, is less expensive than emergency care paid in pounds of taxpayer flesh.

We understand that some of the uninsured are here illegally, and that's wrong, but most of the time immigration decisions are made for them by their parents. They are not generally here by choice, but they're here.

The true character of a society is a reflection of how it treats its innocents, and California's reflection is blemished by an estimated 763,000 uninsured youngsters.

While we agree with the spirit of Schwarzenegger's plan, we are not ready to endorse the funding mechanisms just yet, as they will be released in detail with the governor's overall health care plan today. But in general we support redirecting existing taxpayer money to feed the proposed $400 million system, rather than saddling businesses or individuals with higher taxes or new fees.

Even so, the governor should face some dissent from his own party. Republicans appear poised to oppose providing care to illegal immigrants. Though arguments against insuring the children of illegal aliens aren't unfounded - coverage is yet another "reward" for those who sneak into the United States - the pull of economic opportunity in California is strong enough as it is.

Schwarzenegger's proposal wouldn't create new incentives to cross the border. There are enough already: work, shelter, food, opportunity, reuniting with family. Add in lax immigration laws, and insuring children doesn't even come into the equation.

And since immigrants and their children are here anyway, consider the benefits of health coverage. Insurance would increase regular checkups, which means youths would be more likely to see doctors before ailments become truly serious, and reduce the likelihood of diseases spreading.

Teens could also discuss the most private matters in confidence with their doctors, including how to prevent pregnancy, get prenatal care, treat venereal diseases and receive mental health care for maladies prevalent in their age group like depression and Attention Deficit Disorder.

Children need to talk with their doctors in confidence, just like everyone else.

Insuring minors is also less expensive than covering adults, since they generally avoid the more serious illnesses that come with age. But this is not just a financial issue; it's a moral one. Not caring for children, no matter where they were born, is inhumane.

California still has enough heart, and money, to treat all of its children.