Blagojevich's health care program not up yet

A year after Gov. Rod Blagojevich outlined a plan to expand the state's health insurance coverage for sick or injured young adults, his "All Kids Bridge" program still doesn't exist.

"We've been waiting and waiting, and clients keep calling wanting to know how they can sign up," said Stephanie Altman, policy director at Heath & Disability Advocates, a Chicago-based public interest group. "We have to tell them -- there's nothing there."

When he announced the program last August, Blagojevich said he was addressing a problem with the state's All Kids program. The program, the first of its kind in the nation, offers health medical benefits for young people with serious medical conditions such as organ transplants and diabetes.

Blagojevich said All Kids Bridge would allow those young people who age out of the existing program when they turn 19 to continue to be eligible for the subsidized state coverage until their 21st birthday. It was estimated that All Kids Bridge would cost up to $20 million a year.

The governor said he was acting on his own because he was tired of waiting for lawmakers to act. He also said he had the right to do so without General Assembly approval because he was changing eligibility rules for an existing program and not creating a new one.

Susan Hofer, a spokeswoman for the Division of Insurance said the state remains "entirely committed to All Kids Bridge."

But, she said, "At this point, the administration is still working with the (insurance) board to finalize program details."

She also confirmed that nine members of the 12-member insurance board were serving expired terms or waiting confirmation from the Senate, which could make it difficult for the board to approve expansion of a health care program.

The governor's office did not immediately return a call for comment.