Voices

Parents can best care for kids' health

I'd like to clarify my position concerning government-paid children's health care.

Nobody would argue the obvious --healthy children become healthier adults. We all want our children to have high-quality accessible health care. These are "givens."

However, the question for debate is who should pay for our children's health care? The government (collectively us -- you and me) or the child's parents?

The freedom we have in America to become parents and have children is, as it should be, a matter of personal choice that comes with certain responsibilities. We rely on the love of families to produce care for Alaska's children, and it will never work for government to usurp that role.

The policy debate in the pending versions of children's health-care legislation is whether public money should be used to fund increases from full coverage for children in families that earn up to $45,375 per year (current law) to families earning up to $66,250 per year.

The question is at what level does government step in and supply welfare to parents who cannot, or choose not to, for any number of reasons, provide for the families they have created? Clearly there is no incentive to obtain private insurance if the government will do it anyway.

I am opposed to increasing the government's role in children's health and social welfare to a level that diminishes the role of parents. This is philosophically consistent with being outraged that a child can be given an abortion without parental consent. It is also consistent with defending the rights of a child to life and freedom from abuse.

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Our society needs strong families (with freedoms and responsibilities) to prosper. I will support welfare legislation that is caring and helpful for those low-income families who meet catastrophes and problems without allowing the government to usurp the parental role. Children are better served by loving parents. It is foolishness to establish comprehensive policies for all children based on safety-net exceptions.

Also, my fellow citizens, be aware that there are an increasing number of persons whose incomes flow from government spending on health care. These are honorable and wonderful careers, but it is incumbent upon all of us to acknowledge and announce potential conflicts-of-interest when they exist.

Wes Keller represents District 14 (Greater Wasilla) in the state House of Representatives, and is co-chair of the House Health and Social Services Committee.

By REP. WES KELLER

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