Lt. Governor Carney Praises General Assembly For Including Key Health Initiatives In Budget

Lt. Governor John Carney tonight praised the 143rd General Assembly for funding several key health initiatives through its passage of the state's Fiscal Year 2008 operating and capital budgets.

The key initiatives include funding for the Delaware Health Information Network (DHIN), an expansion of the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), initiatives to address and reduce health disparities in Delaware, and the continuation of the Uninsured Action Plan.

"All these programs are critical elements in our efforts to provide quality, affordable health care to all Delawareans," said Carney, who chairs the Delaware Health Care Commission. "Whether it's delivering accurate medical information quickly, providing insurance for the parents of children in low-income families or continuing to provide a health home for many hard working Delawareans who can't afford health insurance, these initiatives will all help make our state a healthier one."

The DHIN, which will allow doctors, hospitals and labs to access a patient's medical history quickly and accurately, has been a major priority for the Delaware Health Care Commission for several years. It is currently up and running on a limited basis thanks to funding from the state ($3 million this year), the federal government and the private sector.

CHIP, which provides insurance for children from homes between 100% and 200% of the federal poverty limit, will be expanded to cover a limited number of the parents of the those children, creating a continuity of care in those families. The $1 million of state funds in the operating budget will be matched by about $2 million from the federal government. The expansion of CHIP to include the parents of the children was a recommendation of the Health Care Commission two years ago.

The Department of Public Health, which recently accepted recommendations from the Governor's Task Force on Health Disparities, received $100,000 to begin executing those recommendations.

The Health Care Commission received $1.25 million from the Tobacco Settlement, which it will use for continued funding for the Community Healthcare Access Program (CHAP). Comprised by Federal Qualified Health Centers and other community centers across the state, the CHAP provides a health home for Delawareans who fall between 100% and 200% of the federal poverty limit and do not have health care insurance. The CHAP is a major component of the Commission's Uninsured Action Plan.

"I'm really pleased that in a year where money was tight and difficult decisions had to be made, the General Assembly made the health of Delawareans a priority," Lt. Governor Carney said. "We still have a lot of work to do, so we're going to work hard through the Health Care Commission and other areas to continue to find ways to make quality health care available to all Delawareans. We cannot stop until all our residents have health care."