California Legislature Passes Budget That Would Reverse a Decade of Progress in Covering Uninsured Children

On Tuesday morning, the California Legislature approved a budget for fiscal year 2008-09 that reverses years of progress in covering children by including provisions that will result in nearly 300,000 children being dropped from health coverage – increasing the number of uninsured children in California by almost 40 percent. For years, many legislative leaders have promised to make health coverage for all children in California a top priority. With this budget, our leaders have gone back on their commitment and taken a huge step in the wrong direction.

For more information, read this press release issued by the 100% Campaign and PICO California.

Governor Schwarzenegger announced that he will veto the budget proposal; in turn, the Legislature is expected to override his veto. While the press reports on these maneuvers, the real story is that this budget will prevent hundreds of thousands of eligible children from accessing the health care they need to grow up strong and healthy.

By increasing paperwork requirements for children in Medi-Cal and hiking premiums for children in Healthy Families, our leaders have approved a budget that will lead to nearly 300,000 more uninsured children in the state.

Make your voice heard for children's health! Contact your legislators and Governor Schwarzenegger NOW – urge them to prevent these cuts to children's health, and instead move toward ensuring that all California children have access to affordable, comprehensive health coverage.

For more information about the precarious state of children's health in California, see our recent report Critical Condition: Emerging Crisis in Children's Health Coverage,

On behalf of The Children’s Partnership and the 100% Campaign, I'd like to thank all the MomsRising.org members in California for their steadfast work to ensure that every child has access to health coverage.