2024 Governor's State of the State speeches: on Health Care
Andy Beshear:
Continue to expand access to quality health care for all
Tonight, let's commit to moving forward together on our people's mental and physical health. To do that, we need to fully fund Medicaid to make sure we're continuing to care for more than 1.5 million Kentuckians. Because we're seeing more opportunity
for our people than at any time during my life. We need all of our people healthy enough to be a part of this future and the prosperity it will bring. So, let's continue to expand access to quality health care for all of our people.
Source: 2024 State of the State Address to the Kentucky legislature
Jan 3, 2024
Kathy Hochul:
Require hospitals to screen for mental health conditions
I'm proposing comprehensive reforms to our behavioral health system. Starting in 2024 we will require hospitals to screen patients with mental health conditions for risks like suicide, violence, substance abuse, and other complex needs.
We'll also require that follow-up psychiatric care be coordinated before patients can leave the hospital. And let's significantly expand mental health courts, which are proven to reduce recidivism.
Source: 2024 State of the State Address to New York legislature
Jan 10, 2024
Katie Hobbs:
Offer communities badly needed access to healthcare
Working together, we will create a new generation of doctors, nurses, and healthcare professionals, while offering communities across our state badly needed access to healthcare.I am calling on this Legislature to work with me to
begin a new engineering-focused medical school at Arizona State University; to double the size of University of Arizona medical schools; and to start a new medical school focused on serving rural and tribal communities at Northern Arizona University.
Source: 2024 State of the State Address to the Arizona legislature
Jan 8, 2024
Kim Reynolds:
Expand postpartum Medicaid coverage to 12 months
To continue building a robust culture of life, we must also do everything in our power to ensure new moms and their families--especially those who are struggling--have what they need to make ends meet. Today, Medicaid only covers postpartum care
for two months after birth. I'm proposing to expand that coverage to 12 months, for new moms who make less than $42,000 a year. Let's do more to help moms, babies, and their families get off to a good start.
Source: 2024 State of the State Address to Iowa legislature
Jan 9, 2024
Kristi Noem:
Use telemedicine to connect with EMS personnel in the field
We are the first state in the country to implement Telemedicine in Motion. We are using telemedicine to connect physicians, nurses, and paramedics with the EMS personnel in the field. We work with our partners at Avel eCare to do it.
There is nothing else like it in the country--and it is saving lives. Nearly 90 ambulance services throughout the state have installed Telemedicine in Motion.
Source: 2024 State of the State Address to South Dakota legislature
Jan 9, 2024
Laura Kelly:
Medicaid expansion comes at no additional cost to taxpayers
So much of the problem boils down to one thing: far too many Kansans don't have health insurance. Last month, I proposed the Cutting Healthcare Costs for All Kansans Act. For those of you worried that Medicaid Expansion will
allow "able-bodied adults" to scam the system--the bill includes a work requirement with commonsense exemptions. For those concerned about cost, it's revenue-neutral. It comes at no additional cost to taxpayers. That's a deal just about anyone would take.
Source: 2024 State of the State Address to Kansas legislature
Jan 10, 2024
Phil Murphy:
Pulling people out from crushing medical debt is vital
In last year's budget, we invested $10 million into an innovative medical debt relief program. For every dollar invested, we can retire up to $100 in debt--for tens of thousands of people. Pulling people out from crushing medical debt is vital.
But so is protecting them from falling down that hole in the first place. I am calling on our Legislature to enact a new package that will help families avoid being caught in a medical debt trap and require every medical bill to be clear and transparent.
Source: 2024 State of the State Address to the N.J. legislature
Jan 9, 2024
Brian Kemp:
Expand services for those struggling with mental illness
My budget calls for a total increase of $205 million for [Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities] and other entities that address mental health. This will enable DBHDD to expand services for those struggling
with mental illness, it will increase the number of crisis beds throughout the state, and improve the quality of mental health services overall. We will be spending $1.6 billion on mental health - more than ever before.
Source: 2024 State of the State Address to the Georgia legislature
Jan 11, 2024
Janet Mills:
I want to expand behavioral health services across Maine
Even with the progress we have made to expand behavioral health services, access to services can still be a serious struggle. I want to expand behavioral health services across Maine, particularly for those in crisis. I propose that we establish
a network of crisis receiving centers across Maine so that any person suffering a mental health crisis can get prompt and appropriate care, instead of being alone or languishing in an emergency department or a jail, as is too often the case.
Source: 2024 State of the State Address to the Maine legislature
Jan 30, 2024
Josh Green:
$30M for loans to keep healthcare professionals in Hawai'i
The Healthcare Education Loan Repayment Program, or HELP, provides an unprecedented $30 million in educational loan repayment to health professionals to bring them to and keep them in Hawai'i. A diverse list of healthcare professions qualify for loan
repayments of up to $50,000 per year--in exchange for a minimum of two years of service in Hawai'i, while they care for low-income patients in their practice.
Source: 2024 State of the State Address to the Hawaii legislature
Jan 22, 2024
Michelle Lujan-Grisham:
Requests additional Medicaid funding & Hospital Provider Tax
I am requesting another $100 million dollars for the Rural Health Care Delivery Fund, additional Medicaid funding so our providers can meet growing demands, and a Hospital Provider Tax, which will bring in an additional $1.5 to $2 billion into the
state, shoring up our health care delivery system, without costing patients or providers a dime. New Mexicans should never have their lives or livelihoods threatened by insurance companies that are more determined to make a dollar than a difference.
Source: 2024 State of the State Address to the N.M. legislature
Jan 16, 2024
Tony Evers:
We're going to develop a statewide Mental Health Action Plan
I'm creating an Interagency Council on Mental Health and directing Wisconsin state agencies to work together to reduce barriers and address gaps in mental health services. We're going to develop a statewide
Mental Health Action Plan to address the root causes of our mental health crisis, increase awareness and reduce stigma, and build capacity for us to expand access to mental health services statewide. Our state's mental health challenges are significant.
Source: 2024 State of the State Address to the Wisconsin legislature
Jan 23, 2024
J.B. Pritzker:
The only bottom line that matters is keeping people healthy
I am introducing a bill to curb predatory insurance practices--putting power back into the hands of patients and their doctors. It's called the Healthcare Consumer Access and Protection Act.
We should never, ever, ever, ever cede decisions to the whims of insurance executives whose focus is always on the bottom line. When it comes to patient care, the only bottom line that really matters is what needs to be done to keep people healthy.
Source: 2024 State of the State Address to the Illinois legislature
Feb 21, 2024
J.B. Pritzker:
Expand who is recognized as Medicaid healthcare providers
In Illinois, a serious effort to reduce maternal mortality rates is long overdue. And Black women in our state are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women. Beginning this year, doulas, midwives,
and lactation consultants can now be recognized as Medicaid healthcare providers, ensuring that they can be fairly compensated. That will make more services more readily available to communities with the highest mortality rates.
Source: 2024 State of the State Address to the Illinois legislature
Feb 21, 2024
Mike DeWine:
We will no longer focus on sick care, but on well care!
When I took office, we started to reimagine healthcare in Ohio, starting by transforming Medicaid managed care to be focused more on positive health outcomes and less on the business of healthcare. Historically, our system pays healthcare
providers to provide care when you need that care. We don't reward doctors for actually keeping you healthy. We will no longer focus on sick care, but on well care!
Source: 2024 State of the State Address to the Ohio legislature
Apr 10, 2024
Page last updated: Sep 29, 2024