( Washington’s governor has made a move t...)More US Children to Be Covered by Health Insurance,Health

Washington’s governor has made a move that would please even his political// opponents.

Governor Chris Gregoire has moved the senate to unanimously approve of a bill that would change the face of the state’s health system.

The bill is expected to extend health insurance to 38, 000 children in Washington.

According to the governor, this bill serves to extend the coverage of children by health insurance to a total of 624,000 children, through four programs: Medicaid, the State's Children's Health Insurance Program (S-CHIP), the Children's Health Program and the state Basic Health Plan.

The bill seeks to ensure that by 2010 all Washington children have health coverage through private or public health plans. The ultimate aim of the bill is to offer universal health coverage to all state residents within five years.

According to the bill, unmarried adults ages 19 to 25 would be eligible to remain on their parents' health insurance and their employers would be able to contribute to the cost of coverage.

The state is planning a means for public and private markets to use their collective purchasing power to negotiate premiums at cheaper rates. In this context, the state plans to expand its subsidized health insurance program for low-income working adults.

In addition, under the plan, health insurance would be transferable, nonemergency care would be diverted to local clinics and more focus would be placed on technology.

According to the governor, the plan would cost about $25 million in new spending over the next two years.

Many in the medical fraternity welcome the move, and also ask for more.

Says Dr. Erik Steele, chief medical officer of Eastern Maine Healthcare systems: 'Among developed nations, ours is the only one that does not provide universal health insurance to children. It has the highest rates of infant and childhood mortality in the developed w
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