Friday, October 17, 2008

Submitted with only one comment

Gee, who thought this would happen?

Hawaii ending universal child health care

HONOLULU (AP) - 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."

[snip]

Let me just repeat this one key quote: "People who were already able to afford health care began to stop paying for it so they could get it for free."

And you were surprised this happened?