Governor Warner announces 97% of eligible children are covered...

[nickshepDEM]

RICHMOND - Governor Mark R. Warner announced today that his challenge to insure every eligible child in Virginia’s health insurance program for children of low- and moderate-income families has resulted in health coverage for 131,000 more children, or 97 percent of eligible children. More than 400,000 Virginian children are now covered by Medicaid, FAMIS, or FAMIS Plus. The Governor also announced a new marketing campaign for FAMIS, the Family Access to Medical Insurance Security plan, to keep adding enrollment.

“It’s critical for every child in Virginia to have health and wellness coverage,” said Governor Warner. “When I promised in my campaign that Virginia should and could insure every eligible child, I was hopeful we could make meaningful program reforms, and work much harder to reach every eligible family. Today, I admit I am amazed at the success we have had. We raised the bar, and then exceeded it with a program that is not only the right thing to do, but makes good economic sense.”

Additionally, the Governor announced three new programs that took effect this summer with the start of the new fiscal year: FAMIS MOMS, a prenatal care program for uninsured pregnant women; FAMIS Select, a program that will allow FAMIS families to purchase private insurance; and Smiles For Children, a new dental program.

When Governor Warner took office in 2002, tens of thousands of children eligible for FAMIS were needlessly going without health insurance and in some cases, medical treatment. Governor Warner pushed for reforms to get more families enrolled in the program. The changes made during the past three years have increased enrollment to cover an additional 131,000 uninsured children. Virginia’s FAMIS child health insurance program has gone from being one of the worst performing programs in the country to receiving national recognition.

Whole article:

http://www.governor.virginia.gov/Press_Policy/Releases/2005/Aug05/0825.htm

FAMIS website:

http://www.famis.org/

[proud2BlibKansan]

1. Could he maybe teach the idiot governor in Missouri

how to take care of kids? 

[catabryna]

2. Wow!

What a great story and wonderful example! One state down, 49 to go...

[Mass]

7. Well Massachusetts has an excellent MEDICAID childcare system as well

I dont know what the ratio is, but the service is actually excellent, with access to the best services and all.

I am sure other states have the same type of services, but it is good to see that VA is catching up. May be it will give some ideas to some other Southern states.

[mom cat]

3. There is some hope.

[JNelson6563]

4. Reminds me of Dean

:toast:

[demnan]

5. Our wonderful Governor

future Senator or perhaps . . . President?

:loveya:

[magnolia]

6. Whatever he touches...

...turns to gold!

[nickshepDEM]

10. You got that right.

[nickshepDEM]

8. President baby, PRESIDENT!

[sepia_steel]

9. Wow!

I envy you over in Cali.

[DemsUnited]

11. Yup, unlike the Ahnold, Warner gets high marks in Va

Dems AND Republicans (at least those operating on more than one brain cell) like and respect the guy. He's no "Smooth Willy" but is smart, personable and sincere. True old-fashioned Southern democratic, the way they used to be before Zell Miller wigged out & took the rest of the Dixie Senators with him.

[hopein08]

12. I'm such a cynic...when I hear "every eligible" I always have to wonder...

"Who isn't eligible? Why not? In this case, do the kids who are just barely eligible have all the benefits of the kids covered under these plans? What about kids whose parents make a few hundred too many dollars to qualify but still have trouble making ends meet? Can't you do something for them too?"

Anyway, that's just my humble opinion. It's great that Governor Warner could do as much as he did. I'm just the type who isn't satisfied until there is nothing more that could be done.

I probably, and most certainly, don't understand all the details so I am probably way out in left field.

Thanks for listening though.