For the people of New Mexico

Your Governor, Bill Richardson, is proposing that $58 million be set aside to provide coverage for 50,000 children in the state that lack any form of insurance. This provision would essentially make health insurance a mandatory requirement for all children under the age of 18. Because of this requirement, health insurance cards would have to be shown during enrollment for childcare, preschool, other schools, and high school as well. For kids that do not yet have insurance, the parents wouldn't be penalized, but instead they family would basically be put on a list that the public service programs that offer insurance coverage would have a means to reach out to the families in hopes that the children could become insured.

I mean, it sounds good and all, but I'm sure those without children are going to bring out the "I don't want my taxes raised to insure other children, I worked hard for my kids to have insurance when they were young..etc, etc." lines, and I personally wouldn't want to publicly pay for the health insurance of all children in my state. There are plenty of programs that are available already to provide some form of health coverage, the only thing that needs funding is the programs that exist already in order to get some spotlight to make people more away of their existence.

Any NM people, do you agree with this plan, and for those outside, would you support something like this in your state?