Last night the chamber voted 66-32 to expand the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).  To read more about the vote click on any of the newspaper links below.  To see how your Senators voted click here.

Washington Post

New York Times

The Hill

Currently, there are over 300,000 uninsured children in Georgia.  Passage of this legislation will extend the program for three additional years and provide much needed resources to expand coverage.  According the United Health Foundation, Georgia ranks as the 41st healthiest state in the nation.  One major factor contributing to our low ranking is the percentage of Georgians without health insurance.  In 1990 we ranked 38th, ten years later we have dropped to 41st.  Other factors for our ranking are:

• 48th in high school graduation
• 47th in infectious disease
• 41st in child poverty
• 40th in infant mortality

To see the entire state report visit the United Health Foundation website.
 

As an ancillary to this issue, the United States Census Bureau study titled, "Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2007," notes the percentage of Americans uninsured during 2005-2007 was 15.4 percent.  As a region, the South had the highest percentage of 18.4.  Only Alabama and Tennessee had a percentage lower than the national average.  To download the entire report click here.
 

If we are to improve our collective quality of life, there needs to be a prioritization of quality affordable healthcare.  Our state leaders have to identify opportunities for employees to purchase private health coverage, employers to provide health insurance and greater accessibility to healthcare providers.  Georgia, and the region as a whole, will never remove the yoke of poverty unless an ideological and systemic change occurs where health is viewed as a pillar to economic growth and social prosperity.  Our children deserve quality healthcare, a clean environment and the best education possible.  Make sure your voice is heard on their behalf.