Don't opt out of providing health care for families

Utah political leaders are already talking about opting out of any "public option" in a new national health-care reform system.

I must admit, I find this puzzling.

Because when push comes to shove, why deny your citizens any health-care insurance option they may want and need?

(Unless, of course, local health-insurance companies make it worth legislators' time — and campaign accounts — to do otherwise.)

Do you recall the lamentations by Utah conservatives — both in Congress and in the Legislature — complaining about President Barack Obama's economic stimulus package last winter?

You would have thought the world was coming to an end.

But how fast did Utah GOP legislators spend Utah's share of that federal stimulus, even as they complained about it?

As fast as they could. For the money saved hundreds of state employee jobs and even deeper cuts in state programs.

In the Utah House GOP open caucuses over this summer, every time lawmakers were briefed about how difficult it will be to make more cuts to the state budget in 2010, a hand would shoot up asking whether there would be any more federal money coming to the state.

Sad looks on lawmakers' faces when budget staff said, "No," all the federal money has been spent.

I understand the conservative philosophy behind not wanting a federal government public option in health insurance.

And I understand the congressional fight over providing such an option.

But if there IS such an option, why wouldn't you want it offered to your own state citizens?

If a low-income Utah family of seven can't afford private insurance, but makes too much money to qualify for a poor person's help, like Medicaid or CHIP, why not let them buy the federal option insurance?

Now, if Utah's own health-care reform efforts work so well that a federal option wasn't really needed here, OK.

But why make low-income, large families go without, or spend an extra $300 a year for the Utah option, when they could get health insurance cheaper or better through the federal plan?

Conservative political philosophy is all well and good, unless it keeps food out of hungry bellies and health care away from the sick and suffering.