Uninsured Children

Hats off to The Times for the excellent article on uninsured children. We support everything that was said about the health care delivery system’s failure in caring for the millions of children who are sick and uninsured.

However, the reality is that children are uninsured because their parents or other caretakers are uninsured and until we solve the overall basic problem we will be only part of the way home. When we achieve the passage of a meaningful national health plan for all people, we will automatically solve the children’s problem.

There is currently a bill making its way through the California Senate, SB 308 (the Petris bill), which would cover every resident of California.

Nationally there is the Russo bill, HR 1300, co-sponsored by 70 representatives, and the companion bill in the Senate, the Wellstone bill, SB 2320, co-sponsored by Sens. Howard Metzenbaum and Paul Simon. These national bills would also cover every person in the United States. It is imperative for people to familiarize themselves with responsible legislation and once and for all break through the continually escalating crisis of our health delivery system.

MAX RUCHAMES, Chair, Long Beach Area Coalition for Health Care