By Georgia State Representatives Pat Gardner and Judy Manning
Debate in the fall campaign season will likely include dialog on Georgia’s large number of uninsured children, a deficiency that ranks the state 41st in the nation. The main issue for Georgians to consider is the health and development of the next generation of citizens. Uninsured children are much less likely to receive the medical attention or routine care they require to grow into healthy adults. Children who lack healthcare coverage miss more days of school and down the road they are more likely to face serious health challenges.
We led a bipartisan effort proposing “PeachCare for All Kids” in the 2006 legislative session. Although the session ended without a vote on the bill, we are proud to be part of a growing coalition that continues to pursue healthcare coverage for all Georgia’s children. In advance of the 2007 legislative session the coalition will host a series of lunch-and-learn sessions across the state developed and promoted by Voices for Georgia’s Children and Georgia Family Connection Partnership.
PeachCare for All Kids proposes to reach many more uninsured and underinsured children than current programs. The new plan includes three levels: a Medicaid expansion, a PeachCare expansion, and a new buy-in program for families at higher income levels. Premiums and co-pays would be scaled to income level. The local meetings will allow us to get feedback on various aspects of the proposal, as well as the challenges of children’s healthcare coverage in your community. Your voice is vital to our effort to address the current challenges and move Georgia forward in providing care for all our children.
Luncheon discussions will be held in October in Augusta, Columbus, Marietta, Dalton, Macon, Waycross, and Savannah. The events will include a panel of local community agencies and service providers sharing their insights on child health coverage, followed by a presentation from members of our coalition on the PeachCare for All Kids plan.
Your opinions count, so please join us if you can. But do let your local representatives know that you support an initiative that can give all kids a healthy start in life.
To register for PeachCare for All Kids event in your area please log onto www.gafcp.org and follow the link.
Thanks to Georgia State Rep. Pat Gardner (D-57) from Atlanta and Rep. Judy Manning (R-32) of Marietta. |