Proposals to Extend Child Health-Care Coverage Health Care

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Ever since President Clinton's campaign for comprehensive health-care reform foundered in 1993, Washington has taken a more gradual approach, attempting to aid particular groups instead.

This year, Congress and the President have turned their attention to the approximately 10 million or more American children without health-care insurance coverage. About 3 million of these are already eligible for Medicaid health assistance for the poor. But for some reason, possibly because their parents don't realize they are eligible, these children are not receiving benefits.

The bipartisan budget deal agreed to by Mr. Clinton and Congress calls for the federal government to …