By: Health Insurance
Submitted: 2009-11-05 13:28:39 | Word Count: 369
Last year, when Gov. Steve Beshear announced his plan to provide health insurance to more of Kentucky's uninsured children, he wrote, “... If we are serious about being a state that truly cares for children and families, this measure is a moral imperative. ... Children's health status impacts their academic achievement long term … We believe we will see long-term savings on treatment of adult chronic conditions and emergency room treatment of uninsured children. … Supporting children's health is vital to supporting Kentucky's future.”In closing, he pledged “courage and commitment to act now” to cover at least 35,000 of the state's 67,000 children who were eligible for the Kentucky Children's Health Insurance Program (KCHIP) or Medicaid but were not enrolled in the government medical programs to help needy children and families. He gave it two years.
This week, the Governor announced 32,000 more children have been signed up for KCHIP and Medicaid, and that the state is on pace to sign up another 3,000 children by the end of the year, beating the Governor's self-imposed timetable.
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Gov. Beshear should be saluted not only for making this a priority, but for making good on this priority. But there are miles to go, as he strives to sign up every eligible family in the state.
Federal dollars make up 80 percent of the $78 million cost of the expansion of health benefits. Stimulus dollars included in that amount are scheduled to end next year, and it will be up to the Governor and the General Assembly to summon the courage and commitment and the cash to continue the funding.
Our political leaders must be guided by the knowledge, and compassion, that informed the Governor's quest to do better by our most vulnerable citizens: It is the right thing to do, and it eventually costs more not to step up now.
