Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report Highlights Health Issues in State of the State Addresses

• Maryland: In his Jan. 29 speech, Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) proposed "investing $15 million to assist small businesses with obtaining health care coverage for their employees," and "investing $5.5 billion in Medicaid and the Maryland Children's Health Program" to maintain health coverage for 700,000 state residents. He said that the state can measure its progress during the economic recession in part "by the 28,000 additional Marylanders who ... now have health care," and "by the huge numbers of children from [low-income] families who will be able to see a dentist when they get a toothache instead of risking death" (O'Malley speech text, 1/29).
  
  
• Nevada: In his Jan. 15 speech, Gov. Jim Gibbons (R) said that his administration is "utilizing a better process for identifying clients" in state mental health programs who have "Medicaid, Medicare Part D and private insurance options that will pay for prescription drugs instead of the state bearing the burden of those costs." He added, "We also negotiated for more free medications from pharmaceutical companies, and we are working with our physicians to ensure they are prescribing the most economical and effective medications." Gibbons said that his budget proposal would maintain the Nevada Check-Up program "so low-income children can receive the health care they need and deserve." In addition, he said that his administration has maintained current eligibility limits for a state long-term care program and has sustained a Medicaid pharmacy program to "ensure people can receive the prescription drugs they need to manage their health according to their doctor's orders" (Gibbons speech text, 1/15).
  
  
• Ohio: In his Jan. 28 speech, Gov. Ted Strickland (D) said that he will seek to "strengthen Ohio by expanding access to health care coverage" by "taking innovative steps." He proposed to increase the age of dependency for employer-sponsored health insurance to 29; allow unemployed residents who worked for a small business to pay to continue their health insurance for one year; provide more affordable health insurance options for residents with pre-existing medical conditions; and allow more employees without health insurance to purchase coverage with pre-tax dollars. "Taken together, these steps will bring more than 110,000 adult Ohioans under the protection of health care coverage," Strickland said. In addition, he said, "We have finally gained federal approval to offer coverage to Ohio children from families with incomes up to 300%" of the federal poverty level, and the state "will soon be able to say that health care coverage is available to every child in Ohio." Strickland also said that his budget proposal "will modify ... Medicaid policies to manage our costs and to take advantage of funds available in the forthcoming federal stimulus package" (Strickland speech text, 1/28).
  
  
• South Carolina: In his Jan. 21 speech, Gov. Mark Sanford (R) cited the need for "businesses and individuals alike [to] have the opportunity to buy scaled-down health plans without mandates," which "price health care out of the reach of many working families." In addition, he said that his budget proposal includes a consolidation of health care services that would save the state $15 million in administration costs. Sanford also cited the need for improved coordination of health care services because a "person can never receive good health care from a system that simply looks at the parts, rather than the whole, of one's health care picture" (Sanford speech text, 1/21).
  
  
• Texas: In his Jan. 27 speech, Gov. Rick Perry (R) said that the obesity rate in Texas is "well above the national average and the negative effects are spreading." He added, "If we don't tackle this problem, not only will this generation of children be the first to have a shorter average lifespan than their parents, we will never get a handle on the costs of preventable diseases like diabetes, heart disease and even some forms of cancer." Perry said that the state should "address obesity where it will make the most difference, most quickly: with our schoolchildren," adding that the state "should take the lead on testing an incentive-based fitness program like those gaining popularity in the workplace" (Perry speech text, 1/27).
  
  
• Utah: In his Jan. 27 speech, Gov. Jon Huntsman (R) said that "nowhere is major surgery needed more" in the state than "in accessing affordable health care" because "skyrocketing health care costs are bankrupting businesses and leaving too many Utahns with no options." He said, "We are going to find policies that are affordable, the political will to enact them and, through perseverance, provide a pathway to coverage for everyone," adding, "Therefore, I am asking all involved: doctors, insurance companies, consumers and we in this chamber to close the gap on the uninsured by 2012." Huntsman called for the passage of health care legislation in the state Senate that would "develop a truly affordable insurance policy." He added, "We must connect all people to the health care they need. A truly affordable policy and the means by which to connect all people will be done in this state, this year" (Huntsman speech text, 1/27).
  
  
• Wisconsin: In his Jan. 29 speech, Gov. Jim Doyle (D) described his success in cutting taxes by making health insurance premiums tax deductible. He also praised the BadgerCare Plus program, through which "[a]ny child in Wisconsin can get health insurance." Doyle added that the program gained 100,000 new enrollees in 2008, two-thirds of whom were children. According to Doyle, Wisconsin ranked second nationally for health insurance coverage. Doyle urged private insurers to cover autism because "families deserve the right to see their children improve" with a treatment that "has been proven effective." Doyle also said he plans to make all public places in the state smoke-free. In regard to his upcoming budget proposal, Doyle said, "I am not going to say we won't make reductions in Medicaid, but I will not allow cuts to undermine our ability to get a sick kid to a doctor" (Doyle speech text, 1/29).