Oregon Public Broadcasting

Governor Kulongoski announced Friday that every child in Oregon now has access to state-run healthcare -- even children with pre-existing conditions. Kristian Foden-Vencil reports.

Over the last six months, the state has rolled out its 'Healthy Kids' plan. It started by covering only children from poorer families -- that is a family of four making less than $44,000 a year.

Then there was a low cost plan for families making less than $66,000 a year.

Now, says Governor Kulongsoki, there's a new state sponsored private health plan for anyone under 18. And it even accepts those expensive pre-existing conditions like leukemia.

Ted Kulongoski: "I believe that for children to be successful in school they have to be healthy and able to learn. And I think this helps them when they come up to that school house door if they have access to healthcare."

Health insurance companies and hospitals are helping pay for the coverage with higher taxes -- taxes they didn't fight because it's cheaper to offer insurance than to treat the uninsured when they turn-up at the ER.