Editorial: All children need medical treatment

Sunday, July 16, 2000 | 10:11 a.m.

Last week Congress heard heartbreaking testimony from parents who were caught in a terrible Catch-22. Strict limits on how much a family can earn to be eligible for Medicaid have resulted in some parents forgoing pay raises so that their severely ill children can continue to receive government-subsidized health care. As Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, noted, in the worst instances parents who can't afford medical care on their own have turned over custody of their children to state agencies so they can keep receiving treatment.

Fortunately a bipartisan effort has been forged to pass legislation to allow working parents to still be eligible for Medicaid. The measure would provide coverage on a sliding scale based on how much the parents earn. Health care issues have been marred by partisanship this year, but it's encouraging to see that at least on one issue Democrats and Republicans have been able to find common ground.

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