The Modesto Bee reports a small story with a big message: Healthy Families, California's children's health "insurance" program is harmful to your health. A boy was on Healthy Families until he became a year and a half old and his father's income increased to the point where he got tossed out of the plan. Because the boy had an ear infection shortly before, the insurer delayed covering him for 90 days.

It would have been better for the father if he had bought health insurance for his son at birth, before the ear infection, which the state could have facilitated through a voucher or tax credit, a far better use of the taxpayers' money than this bloated government program.

It is incredible that Congress plans to increase funding for these state children's health insurance programs, which break up families' insurance coverage and put kids at risk.