Promises Kept?

Barack Obama Campaign Promise No. 56:

Require children to have health insurance coverage

"Require that all children have health care coverage. Barack Obama and Joe Biden will expand the number of options for young adults to get coverage by allowing young people up to age 25 to continue coverage through their parents' plans."

Sources: Obama health care plan

Subjects: Children, Families, Health Care, PolitiFact's Top Promises

Updates:
Require children to have health insurance coverage
Updated: Thursday, July 16th, 2009 | By Angie Drobnic Holan

After months of talking about health care reform, the U.S. House of Representatives introduced major legislation to overhaul the nation's health care system. House Democrats unveiled the 1,000-plus-page bill, called America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009, on July 14, and it includes most of President Barack Obama's key proposals on health reform.

One of Obama's promises was to require children to have health insurance. The House bill goes a step further, establishing an individual mandate that requires all adults and their dependents to have insurance, or pay additional tax. Obama has said he will support the mandate as long as there is a hardship clause for people truly unable to afford health insurance. It's not clear yet whether a hardship clause would exempt children. (It seems likely such children could qualify for the State Children's Health Insurance Program.)

To be sure, there's a long way to go — maybe months — before the bill becomes law. It has to pass the House and get through the Senate, where many changes could be made.

Nevertheless, the bill marks significant, measurable progress on Obama's promise, and we rate it In the Works.

Sources:

Thomas, HR 3200 , introduced July 14, 2009

U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee, House Democrats Introduce Bill to Provide Quality, Affordable Health Care for All Americans , July 14, 2009

U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Ways and Means, Markup of H.R. 3200, America’s Affordable Health Choices Act , July 16, 2009

Comment

Obama made this campaign promise because kids are generally the healthiest and the cheapest to insure. Also by checking them early many problems can be addressed early, before the problems have gotten out of hand. Insuring kids up to the age of 25 will give them a good head start toward healthy lifestyles and healthy living. By the time they are 25 they should be working and eligible for work insurance. Insuring all the uninsured may not be politically feasible, but insuring the kids should be doable.