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Healthy people: our common wealth

In his seven years as America's highest public servant, two of President Bush's seven vetoes have been to deny health care to more American kids. Despite being sent a bipartisan bill that addressed the alleged reason for his first veto, the president this week again vetoed federal support for state children's health insurance programs.

 

Luckily, his actions will not dramatically change Pennsylvania CHIP, which PA House Democrats and others have nurtured since its inception in 1992, most recently expanding low-cost insurance to help all kids in the state.

 

There are still some 800,000 Pennsylvanians without health insurance. In the absence of any movement by the insurance market or federal government to address the health-care crisis, it is time for us to make sure all 12 million people in our state can afford to see a doctor when they are sick.

 

House Democrats have been working toward a solution this session and have invited our colleagues to join us in moving a comprehensive package that should include things like:

 

• Employer-sponsored accounts for employee health coverage;
• Incentives for disease management and healthy living programs;
• Expanding access to services in community health settings;
• Collection and disclosure of health-care costs by various providers and insurers throughout the health care continuum; and
• Cost containment measures that expand access while maintaining quality and patient safety.

 

We look forward to continuing the bipartisan discussion this month and in the coming year. To weigh in on whether Pennsylvania should step up its efforts on health care, visit www.pahouse.com and take our online poll.

To read Gov. Ed Rendell's weekly newsletter, click this link:k:
http://www.virtualtours.state.pa.us/newsletter/default.asp