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An estimated 1.3 million Ohioans, including 114,000 adults and 20,000 children in Franklin County do not have health care coverage. Today, Commissioners approved a resolution declaring April 27th through May 3rd 2008 as ‘Cover the Uninsured Week’ in Franklin County in an effort to bring awareness to the issue and support the work of local advocates.
At the invitation of Commissioners, local health advocates attended the Commissioners’ General Session meeting and accepted the resolution on behalf of the Franklin County Covering Kids and Families Coalition which includes member organizations: Voices for Ohio's Children, The Universal Health Care Action Network of Ohio (UHCAN Ohio), and Access HealthColumbus.
“Ensuring our residents have their basic needs met and good quality of life is the top priority of the Board of Commissioners,” said Commission President Marilyn Brown. “Healthcare is essential for a quality life. We want to send a strong message that our kids and families deserve good healthcare coverage.”
Commissioners’ acknowledged their support of Franklin County Covering Kids and Families Coalition’s vision and encouraged additional advocacy on behalf of the millions of Ohioans without healthcare coverage.
“Our governor has a plan that would cover 32,000 Ohio children but now federal regulations are standing in the way,” said Commissioner Mary Jo Kilroy. “We need to speak up and let Washington hear that these children, and all Americans, need health care that is affordable and accessible.”
Commissioners have established several community partnerships to address the community-wide need for affordable and accessible healthcare. Most recently, Commissioners approved $775,000 to support the community health initiatives of three of central Ohio’s premier health agencies: Access HealthColumbus ($500,000), Central Ohio Diabetes Association ($200,000) and the Columbus AIDS Task Force (CATF) ($75,000).
“Every Franklin County resident should have health insurance. Our children deserve a future that is at least as high quality as the children in Europe and Japan,” said Commissioner Paula Brooks. “America stands for the best and getting everyone covered with health insurance, with no exceptions, is a legacy we must seek for our littlest Franklin Countians.”
Residents of Franklin County are encouraged to write their members of Congress and ask them to support putting a moratorium on the August 17th CMS (Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services) directive because 32,000 children in Ohio are waiting on the health care expansion that would cover kids between 200 and 300 percent of the Federal Poverty Level.
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