10 Feb 2009 08:00 AM
Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report Highlights Health Issues In State Of The State Addresses
The following highlights health issues mentioned in governors' recent state of the state addresses.
Kentucky: In his Feb. 4 speech, Gov. Steve Beshear (D) said his proposal to fill the state's $456 million budget shortfall "clearly articulates priorities for investment" in "basic health care for our most vulnerable populations," among other things. He said that providing health care "is not only a moral obligation but one that carries economic return." He added, "But to protect our priorities we need the targeted application of new revenue, which I propose we obtain by significantly increasing our tax on cigarettes and other tobacco products." According to Beshear, Kentucky has "a cigarette tax which is the fourth-lowest in the entire nation," but "the health toll of smoking is devastating." He said, "We spend $1.5 billion a year on health problems related to smoking, including $487 million in Medicaid costs alone -- a cost, ironically, that more than matches our current shortfall." Beshear said, "The people of this state overwhelmingly support a significant increase in tobacco taxes" (Beshear speech text, 2/4).
Michigan: In her Feb. 3 speech, Gov. Jennifer Granholm (D) said that "despite continual deficits, Michigan's number of uninsured children remains one of the lowest in the nation," and in the next year, "expanding coverage for those children who remain uninsured will be priority No. 1." Granholm continued, "Now that Congress has voted to reauthorize [CHIP], we will utilize every opportunity to assure that all children in Michigan have access to affordable coverage." She added that the state "must also work to assure the sustainability of our insurance market in Michigan to preserve access to affordable coverage for our working families." Granholm said the individual health insurance market in Michigan "is changing as the demand for coverage continues to grow," which "is why I have directed the href="http://www…
Kentucky: In his Feb. 4 speech, Gov. Steve Beshear (D) said his proposal to fill the state's $456 million budget shortfall "clearly articulates priorities for investment" in "basic health care for our most vulnerable populations," among other things. He said that providing health care "is not only a moral obligation but one that carries economic return." He added, "But to protect our priorities we need the targeted application of new revenue, which I propose we obtain by significantly increasing our tax on cigarettes and other tobacco products." According to Beshear, Kentucky has "a cigarette tax which is the fourth-lowest in the entire nation," but "the health toll of smoking is devastating." He said, "We spend $1.5 billion a year on health problems related to smoking, including $487 million in Medicaid costs alone -- a cost, ironically, that more than matches our current shortfall." Beshear said, "The people of this state overwhelmingly support a significant increase in tobacco taxes" (Beshear speech text, 2/4).
Michigan: In her Feb. 3 speech, Gov. Jennifer Granholm (D) said that "despite continual deficits, Michigan's number of uninsured children remains one of the lowest in the nation," and in the next year, "expanding coverage for those children who remain uninsured will be priority No. 1." Granholm continued, "Now that Congress has voted to reauthorize [CHIP], we will utilize every opportunity to assure that all children in Michigan have access to affordable coverage." She added that the state "must also work to assure the sustainability of our insurance market in Michigan to preserve access to affordable coverage for our working families." Granholm said the individual health insurance market in Michigan "is changing as the demand for coverage continues to grow," which "is why I have directed the href="http://www…
