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HEALTH
Health Insurance In Pennsylvania
Governor Rendell's Covering All Pennsylvanians (CAP) health insurance program
According to the Philadelphia Health Department, more than 130,000 Philadelphian adults do not have health insurance. Thousands more have insurance that will not cover what they need when they get sick.
Health insurance is critically important to the well-being of all Pennsylvanians. The Philadelphia Health Department has passed along the following information about the CAP program, a vital piece of legislation that would provide health insurance to uninsured adults throughout the state. It is critical that legislators know that there is a great deal of support for this program.
- With CAP, uninsured people could afford health insurance. Uninsured adults who make less than $29,400 ($60,000 for a family of 4) would pay between $10 - $60 per month for full health insurance coverage including prescription medicines. Families earning more than 300% of the federal poverty level could pay the full cost of $280 per adult.
- With CAP, small employers could afford insurance for their workers. Small employers could offer subsidized insurance (at a cost to employer of $130 per month per employee) for their workers, who will also pay between $10 and $70 per month. Children can already apply for the CHIP program. (Call 1-800-464-KIDS.)
- With CAP, the cost of insurance for everyone will go down. The current cost of health insurance is estimated to be 6.5% higher due to the costs of providing care to the uninsured.
- With CAP, it would be against the law to deny insurance to those with “pre-existing conditions.”
- With CAP, rate increases and insurance company profits would be limited.
For more information about the CAP program, please click on the link below:
More information about CAP
Contact your legislators to demonstrate your support for the Covering All Pennsylvanians program (to find your legislators visit http://www.legis.state.pa.us/). Tell them "The money's there...show you care. Support CAP!" The Philadelphia Health Department asks every Pennsylvanian who cares about health care to contact their legislators to let them know how important CAP will be to the people in our State.
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Latinos & Health in Philadelphia
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Latinos are almost twice more likely to die from diabetes than non-Latinos ( Healthy People 2010, accessed July 2006).
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Heart disease is the leading cause of death for Latinos in Philadelphia; 25% of those deaths occurred in individuals under the age of 54 ( Vital Statistics Report 2002, accessed June 2006 ).
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Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer and the leading cause of cancer death among Hispanic women; an estimated 11,000 Hispanic women were expected to be diagnosed in 2003.
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Although breast cancer is diagnosed approximately 40% less often among women of Hispanic origin, it is more frequently diagnosed at a later stage than when found in non-Hispanic women. Historically lower utilization of cancer screening tests, such as mammography, among Hispanic women may contribute to later diagnosis, when the disease is more advanced ( American Cancer Society 2003).
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A sizeable portion of Latino adults in Philadelphia – 22.2% – have a diagnosed mental health condition. This is the highest rate among any ethnic/racial group in the city and is high in comparison to the 14.2% overall prevalence of mental health conditions in Philadelphia ( Southeastern Pennsylvania Household Health Survey, accessed June 2006).
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During the past year of Proyecto Salud, Congreso has administered the nationally recognized and validated CES-D to screen for depression. A score of 16 or greater has been correlated with a psychiatric assessment of major depression. The average score during the intake process of Proyecto Salud, thus far in fiscal year 2005, has been 23.75.
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In 2001, 1,531 teenagers in the City gave birth and 18% of these individuals were Latinas, a disproportionately high rate considering that Latinos make up only 8-10% of Philadelphia’s population ( Southeastern Pennsylvania Household Health Survey,
Current Legislative Action that affects Latinos’ health
FEDERAL
Immigrant Children's Health Improvement Act
The State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP)
STATE/LOCAL
Children Health Insurance Program
Prescription for Pennsylvania
Testimonies
2006
Mental Health
Children's Behavioral Health
2005
Medicaid Listening Tour
Publications
Allies
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