April 21, 2009 - Idaho Governor C. L. "Butch" Otter (R) discussed difficult choices during our "troubled times" in his January 12 "State of the State" address. He proposed a 7.5 percent budget cut for the state's Department of Health and Welfare, along with even greater cuts in other state agencies.
State Profile
April 21, 2009 - Since early January, state governors have been discussing health care in their annual "State of the State" addresses, despite not knowing exactly what the federal stimulus package or CHIP reauthorization would look like. Among the 40 speeches made through mid-February, the health policy messages varied in content and tone. The health-related provisions are summarized in an interactive feature.
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April 21, 2009 - New York Governor David Paterson (D) outlined four key health reform initiatives in his State of the State address on January 7: public coverage expansion, enrollment reforms, private insurance expansion for dependents, and multiple efforts to combat obesity.
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January 23, 2009 - Arizona voters narrowly rejected a state constitutional amendment that would have banned laws restricting choice of health plans or mandating that people obtain coverage. The amendment would have been at odds with certain elements of President-elect Obama's health care proposal. Of 1.8 million votes, 50.2 percent voted against, and 49.8 percent voted for, the amendment.
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January 23, 2009 - Maine voters rejected a beverage tax in November designed to replace the current funding mechanism that supports the Dirigo Health Program.
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January 23, 2009 - In November, Montana residents overwhelmingly passed Initiative 155, which establishes the Healthy Montana Kids plan to expand and coordinate coverage for uninsured children under Medicaid and SCHIP.
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November 7, 2008 - Beginning January 1, 2009, Illinois parents will be able to keep their unmarried children on their health insurance plans until they reach age 26, or age 30 if they are military veterans.
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November 7, 2008 - Indiana estimates that nearly 10,000 children up to age 19 have become newly eligible for the SCHIP program, and state officials expect a little more than half will enroll in the first year.
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November 7, 2008 - In July, New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine signed into law comprehensive health reform that helps the state move toward universal access to health coverage.
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September 15, 2008 - The Arizona Medicaid Health Information Exchange Utility is a Web-based system for exchanging patients' health records and other medical information among the state's Medicaid providers.
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September 15, 2008 - The Florida Health Information Network operates at the community level, with the state supporting and encouraging local collaborations focused on health information exchange, particularly the development of regional health information organizations.
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September 15, 2008 - Oregon's Patient Safety Commission is an independent agency with a mission to reduce patient harm.
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September 15, 2008 - With Governor Ed Rendell's support, Pennsylvania is undertaking a multifaceted approach to improve both health care quality and safety. State officials are working to align initiatives led by the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Commission, departments of Health, Public Welfare, and Insurance, and an independent Patient Safety Authority.
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September 15, 2008 -
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August 25, 2008 - The Kansas SQII team has developed a plan to define, test, and evaluate a medical home delivery model through payment reform. Phase 1, from July 2008 through July 2009, focuses on "attaining a clearer understanding of what constitutes a medical home and its importance," according to Marcia Nelson, executive director of the Kansas Heath Policy Authority and leader of the SQII team.
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