Nation's insurance ills warrant team response

A C+ IS pretty deflating for a student who bagged all of his weekend plans to hit the books.

That's why Virginia's ranking in a new study on uninsured children is so frustrating. Nearly one in 10 children in Virginia has no health insurance, according to Families USA. That's slightly above the national average.

But former Gov. Mark Warner and Gov. Tim Kaine have spent the past seven years boosting enrollment. Because of their efforts, 145,000 new children were signed up. Nevertheless, Census figures show there were still about 184,000 uninsured youngsters from 2005 through 2007.

Worse, the study does not reflect the recent economic downturn and rising unemployment, which ha ve left thousands of newly displaced workers and their families without coverage.

According to the report, nearly 80,000 of the uninsured children in this state are not eligible for Medicaid or FAMIS (Family Access to Medical Insurance Security). Families with incomes exceeding 200 percent of the federal poverty level, or $42,400 for a household of four, cannot participate.

Congress is considering increased funding next year for the Children's Health Insurance Program. If that measure is approved, state leaders should consider whether those income limits are realistic, given the cost of insurance.

Even so, the Families USA study reveals that more than 100,000 Virginia children are eligible for existing programs, and yet they are not participating. That reflects a problem Virginia cannot solve alone.

The nation's health care system is so fragmented and dysfunctional that only broad-based reforms will cure its many ills. That's a task that will require a team effort from Washington, D.C., and every state capital in the country.