Governor's State of the State speeches, early 2000s: on Health Care
George Pataki:
Take decisions out of the hands of government bureaucrats
Over the last decade, we've made bold changes that instituted a new approach to health care in New York--one that empowers people to make the decisions that affect their health and their lives. We've given New Yorkers and their doctors more options and
taken decisions out of the hands of government bureaucrats.This new approach, and the innovative new programs we've enacted have improved the delivery and quality of health care across our great state.
Today, over a million more New Yorkers have access to quality comprehensive health care, more seniors than ever before have prescription drug coverage, and four times as many children are covered by Child Health Plus.
This session, let's give even more seniors and their families access to a wider variety of long-term care options. And as we tend to our oldest New Yorkers, let's also ensure that our youngest get their lives off to a healthy start.
Source: State of the State address to 2005 New York Legislature
Jan 5, 2006
Ronnie Musgrove:
Protect Mississippi’s Health Care Trust Fund
We’re attacking the problems faced by rural citizens in keeping access to health care open & available. We must ensure our dedicated state employees have the quality health insurance they deserve. And, we must protect one of Mississippi’s best investment
- the Health Care Trust Fund. Mississippi is one of only five states to remain committed to using the tobacco settlement for the Health Care needs of our people. Many states have used their tobacco settlement to fund deficits in their general budget.
Source: Mississippi State of the State Address, 2002
Jan 16, 2002
Ronnie Musgrove:
Enrolled 50,000 in the Children’s Health Insurance Program
Medicaid is so much more than another government agency. It means health insurance for our children, elderly and disabled. The success of Medicaid is evidenced by the enrollment of 87,000 new recipients in the past year.
In January of 2000, less than 600 children were enrolled in the Children’s Health Insurance Program. Today, that number is nearly 50,000.
Source: Mississippi State of the State Address, 2002
Jan 16, 2002
Howard Dean:
Universal access for all Vermonters; insure the last 6%
I propose that our achievement-the achievement of this biennium-is to design and implement a better system of health care in Vermont. We have one of the lowest numbers of uninsured citizens in the country.
But the fact that you are one of only 6% does not pay the doctor’s bill. This biennium our goals for health care are finding ways to control costs, helping small businesses afford private coverage for their workers, and making government-guaranteed
insurance for children, seniors and working Vermonters sustainable.
This also means assuring access to health care for every Vermont citizen. We will never control costs without universal access.
Vermont deserves a health care system where small businesses are not bankrupted by trying to treat their employees responsibly, and Vermont deserves a system where all Vermonters have access to health insurance and to quality care.
Source: State of the State Address to 2001 Vermont General Assembly
Jan 4, 2001
Howard Dean:
Keep “community rating”: insure older people at same rates
Let me talk for a moment about what will not work. Vermont has a system of community rating where all age groups are charged the same for their coverage, despite the fact that older people use more health care than younger people.
Some insurance companies left the state because they wanted to avoid insuring older people so they could make plenty of money by only covering low-risk Vermonters. Eliminating community rating will not make health insurance more affordable or accessible.
It will simply add on another cost shift, causing those employees over 50 and their employers to pay even more money so that costs can be reduced for those under 35. I don’t believe Vermonters want this solution.
Our challenge is to find solutions that will work. I am appointing a special Governor’s Commission on Health Care Availability and Affordability, to find ways we can achieve the dual goals of controlling costs and guaranteeing universal access.
Source: State of the State Address to 2001 Vermont General Assembly
Jan 4, 2001
Tommy Thompson:
Supports prescription drug savings plan for poor seniors
I am proposing a Low-Income Prescription Drug Savings Plan that will save seniors $792 a year. Anyone over 65 with an income below 185 percent of poverty will be eligible. The program cuts the prices for the most expensive drugs covered by Medicaid,
passes the savings to low-income seniors who pay for medications out of pocket, requires pharmacies to charge no more than the Medicaid reimbursement rate.
Source: State of the State speech, Jan. 26, 2000
Jan 26, 2000
Page last updated: Mar 14, 2021
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