While there is simply no easy way to pay for the health care of illegal immigrants in a government-run system, Gov. Bill Richardson has chosen, rightly or wrongly to not cover illegal immigrants as well as some legal immigrants living in New Mexico under his proposed reform plan.

Of course, this means that unreimbursed care will still be a problem here in New Mexico even under a supposedly "universal" plan. No one ever said that dealing with health care reform would be easy and with the 2nd-highest uninsured rate in the nation, New Mexico presents bigger challenges than most states.