Every child should have health coverage—the comprehensive, affordable kind that allows kids to get preventive care to help them stay healthy and thrive and get emergency or specialty care when they need it.

As a state we’ve made tremendous progress. In early 2007 the governor signed the Cover All Kids law. It phases in comprehensive health insurance options to meet the goal of covering all kids in Washington by 2010.

The results of the Cover All Kids law can be seen across the state. The number of uninsured children is declining. Families are climbing out of medical debt. But there is more to be done. Not all our children have an equal chance at a healthy life. Poor children and children of color are more likely to be seriously or chronically ill than other kids. These inequalities are persistent and have damaging lifelong effects.

The Children’s Alliance and our partners in the Health Coalition for Children and Youth are working every step of the way to make sure the Cover All Kids law fulfills its promise. We’ll continue to pursue policies that will create equal access to care for all children in Washington State.