News

Kentucky Legislation Relating to KVH Initiatives - Jan 12th, 2010
Several bills have been introduced in the 2010 Kentucy General Assembly that relate to initiatives adopted by Kentucky Voices for Health.

Governor Beshear Commits Funding to Smoking Cessation Programs - Jan 7th, 2010
Governor Beshear commits funding to smoking cessation programs in his 2010 State of the Commonwealth Address.

Kentucky Voices for Health seeks executive director - Dec 21st, 2009
Kentucky Voices for Health seeks a full time executive director to help guide its development and build its effectiveness.

Despite Economy, Kentuckians Still Favor Increased Health Access - Dec 21st, 2009
New poll finds 81% of Kentuckians favor providing increased access to health coverage.

Resolution Filed Urging Governor to Fund Medicaid Smoking Cessation Services - Dec 10th, 2009
A resolution has been filed calling on the Governor to include fudning for Medicaid coverage of smoking cessation services in his 2010-2012 budget proposal.

National Report Ranks Kentucky 40th in Protecting Kids from Tobacco - Dec 10th, 2009
A new report ranks Kentucky 40th in the nation in funding tobacco prevention programs.

Comparison of House and Senate Health Reform Legislation - Nov 24th, 2009
The Kaiser Family Foundation offers an online comparison of the House-passed health reform legislation with the new Senate proposal.

New Federal Report Shows Impact of Federal Health Reforms on Kentucky - Nov 24th, 2009
New Health & Human Services Report Shows Impact of Federal Health Reforms on Kentucky

Federal Health Reform Legislation—Impact on Kentucky - Nov 19th, 2009
The Urban Institute estimates that almost 200,000 additional Kentuckians will enroll in Medicaid under the provisions of the health reform bill passed by the House.

Medicaid Relief for States - Nov 19th, 2009
The Washington Post reports that the House health care bill contains $23.5 billion in new funding to expand state Medicaid programs.

New American Lung Association Report - Nov 12th, 2009
New American Lung Association report urges full coverage of proven smoking cessation treatments.

National Stop Smoking Campaign - Nov 12th, 2009
National stop smoking campaign continues with information, resources for smokers

Stimulus Money to Help Enroll Eligible Children in KCHIP - Nov 11th, 2009
Governor announces that new federal stimulus money will help enroll more children in Jefferson County in KCHIP.

Governor Discusses Cigarette Tax Increase - Nov 11th, 2009
The Courier-Journal reports Governor Steve Beshear suggested that another increase in the cigarette tax could reduce smoking and be part of the solution to Kentucky’s budget problems

Health Reform Bill Passes U.S. House - Nov 9th, 2009
A comprehensive health reform bill passed the U.S. House of Representatives on November 7 by a vote of 220-215.

KCHIP/Medicaid Enrollment Goals Exceeded - Nov 4th, 2009
Kentucky is ahead of schedule in meeting the goal of enrolling more than 35,000 additional children in KCHIP or Medicaid.

Medicaid Smoking Cessation Program Saves Lives and Taxpayer Dollars - Oct 23rd, 2009
Kentucky health advocates call for funding of a Medicaid smoking cessation program.

Hawaii Offers Lessons for Health Reform - Oct 23rd, 2009
Hawaii’s health system offers important lessons for federal reform efforts.

Kentucky Health Advocates to Urge Governor to Fund Smoking Cessation - Oct 14th, 2009
Kentucky health care advocates will gather in Frankfor on October 21 to urge Governor to fund Medicaid cessation program.

New Kaiser Resources on Health Coverage - Oct 14th, 2009
The Kaiser Family Foundation has updated its resources on health coverage and the uninsured to reflect new census data.

Fall Prevention Awareness Day - Oct 12th, 2009
Governor Beshear proclaims September 22 as Fall Prevention Awareness Day.

New State Scorecard on Health System Performance - Oct 12th, 2009
The Commonwealth Fund’s new state health care scorecard finds wide differences in access, quality, avoidable hospitalization and cost across the states.

Transforming Child Health Care - Oct 2nd, 2009
Experts believe that the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 could transform child health care.

Teens With Chronic Diseases Often Have Expensive, Uncertain Coverage - Oct 2nd, 2009
ABC news reports that teens with chronic diseases often have expensive and uncertain health coverage.

New Kaiser Survey on Medicaid - Oct 2nd, 2009
New Kaiser survey provides outlook for state Medicaid programs.

One in Three Kentuckians Has Public Health Coverage - Sep 29th, 2009
One in three Kentuckians (34%), receives health coverage from a publicly funded source.

States Push to Ban Insurance Mandate - Sep 29th, 2009
Legislators in some states are pushing for state constitutional amendments that would ban the requirement that individuals buy health insurance.

States Express Concern Over Medicaid Expansion - Sep 29th, 2009
Some states are expression concern about the additional costs of Medicaid expansions in federal health reforms.

Vast Majority of Uninsured in Kentucky are Employed - Sep 23rd, 2009
The vast majority (83%) of uninsured Kentuckians are low-income workers whose jobs generally do not provide coverage.

Kentucky Insures Greater Share of Children Than Nation - Sep 22nd, 2009
New census data shows that Kentucky insures a greater share of children than Indiana or the nation as a whole.

New Report Outlines Importance of Health Insurance Reform for Young Americans - Sep 22nd, 2009
New HHS Report Outlines Importance of Health Insurance Reform for Young Americans

23 States Move Forward in Child Health Coverage - Sep 17th, 2009
Twenty-three states expanded or improved children’s health coverage programs this year despite a tough economic climate, according to a new report by the Center for Children and Families at Georgetown University.

New Census Data Shows Decline in Job-Based Health Coverage - Sep 12th, 2009
Kentucky Youth Advocates reports that new Census Bureau estimates show that roughly one in seven Kentuckians lacked health coverage in 2007 and 2008.

All the Shouting Getting You Down? Finding Truth in Health Reform - Sep 12th, 2009
Resources for the real answers to questions about health reform.

AARP Kentucky Pushing Congress on Health Care Reform - Sep 9th, 2009
AARP Kentucky Pushing Congress on Health Care Reform

New poll finds Kentuckians narrowly favor public health option - Sep 9th, 2009
New poll finds Kentuckians narrowly favor public health option

New Kentucky Voices for Health Issue Brief - Sep 3rd, 2009
New KVH issue brief reports that expanding health coverage would reduce $1 billion annual cost of caring for uninsured in Kentucky.

New Report on Seniors and Health Insurance Reform - Sep 1st, 2009
A new federal report highlights problems of seniors with escalating health costs and how reform will affect Medicare.

Some Children's Advocates Fear Health Reform Could Undermine CHIP - Aug 27th, 2009
Kaiser Health News reports that some children's health advocates fear health reform could undermine CHIP

Medical Tourism on the Rise - Aug 25th, 2009
More insurers are offering networks of doctors overseas and in other countries for their policyholders as a way to save money as lawmakers struggle with how to drive down costs>

Fewer medical students going into primary care - Aug 19th, 2009
A doctor shortage is looming as fewer medical students are going into primary care.

KCHIP Applications Available at State Fair - Aug 18th, 2009
KCHIP applications and information will be available at the Kentucky State Fair.

Kentucky Remains 41st in National KIDS COUNT Ranking - Aug 7th, 2009
Kentucky Remains 41st in National KIDS COUNT Ranking

States Expand SCHIP Coverage Despite Budget Problems - Jul 22nd, 2009
At least 13 states have invested millions to cover 250,000 more children in state child health insurance programs despite budget challenges, according to the New York Times.

New Federal Grants to Help Insure More Children - Jul 7th, 2009
HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius recently announced the availability of up to $40 million in grants to help reach families whose children qualify but are not yet enrolled in state Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Programs (CHIP).

Survey of Family Doctors Shows Recession Taking Toll on Patients - Jun 19th, 2009
The results of a national survey by the American Academy of Family Physicians confirms the potentially serious impact the recession is having on Americans' access to healthcare.

U.S. Senate Finance Committee Coverage Options Paper - Jun 19th, 2009
The U.S. Senate Finance Committee recently released a description of policy options under consideration to expand health coverage to all Americans.

Kentucky's Adult Smoking Ranking Drops - May 21st, 2009
Kentucky health officials report that adult smoking rates in Kentucky have fallen from the highest in the nation to number three.

New Report on Rural Health - May 21st, 2009
HHS releases new report on rural health: Hard Times in the Heartland: Health Care in Rural America.

Role of Tobacco in Kentucky's Economy Continues to Decline - Mar 2nd, 2009
New statistics released from the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids finds that the role of tobacco in Kentucky's economy continues to decline.

Tobacco, Alcohol Tax Narrowly Passes Senate - Feb 14th, 2009
A 30 cent increase in the cigarette tax and a new tax on alcohol narrowly passed the Senate on Friday, February 13.

Top U of L Administrators Voice Support for Tobacco Tax - Feb 6th, 2009
Top administrators of the University of Louisville announced their support of a 70 cent increase in the tobacco tax to improve health and raise needed revenue for education.

Education Coalition Endorses Increase In Tobacco Tax - Feb 6th, 2009
The Kentucky Education Coalition called for an increase in the tobacco tax to raise additional revenue necessary to protect gains in education and to improve health.

Kentucky Ranked Highest in Smoking-Related Deaths - Jan 23rd, 2009
Smoking kills Kentuckians at the highest rate in the nation, according to a federal report released on January 22, 2009.

Kentucky Gets All F's for Smoking Policies - Jan 21st, 2009
Kentucky received all F's for its policies on tobacco in the American Lung Association’s annual State of Tobacco Control report released on January 13, 2009.

Strong Majority of Kentucky Voters Favor $1 Cigarette Tax Increase - Jan 8th, 2009
A new poll finds a strong majority of Kentucky voters favor a $1 increase in Kentucky's cigarette tax.

Kentucky Medicaid could receive over $500 million from federal stimulus package - Dec 16th, 2008
Kentucky Medicaid could receive over $500 Million from the pending federal stimulus package, according to a new report from Families USA.

Governor Beshear holding Town Hall meetings on state budget - Dec 9th, 2008
Governor Beshear has announced a series of Town Hall Meetings and Press Conferences to discuss options for addressing the $456 million deficit in the state budget.

President-elect Obama asks citizens to submit health care ideas - Dec 8th, 2008
President-elect Obama asks citizens to submit ideas to overhaul the U. S. health care system

National report ranks Kentucky 41st in protecting kids from tobacco - Nov 24th, 2008
Ten years after the November 1998 state tobacco settlement, Kentucky ranks 41st in the nation in funding programs to protect kids from tobacco, according to a national report released November 18 by a coalition of public health organizations.

Organizations endorse Kentucky Voices for Health initiatives - Nov 14th, 2008
Kentucky Voices for Health policy initiatives have been endorsed by representatives of 36 organizations to date.

KCHIP web site launched - Nov 4th, 2008
A new Web site and toll-free number launched on November 3 allows parents to get applications and other information about the Kentucky Children's Health Insurance Program (KCHIP). For more information or to get an application, visit the Web site, http://www.kidshealth.ky.gov or call, toll-free, (877) 524-4718.

Kid's Health Squad formed - Nov 3rd, 2008
Governor Beshear has issued an invitation to organizations across the Commonwealth to join his “Kids’ Health Squad” in support of his KCHIP Initiative. Beginning on November 1st, there will be a simplified enrollment process, increased retention efforts and enhanced outreach in an effort to get more eligible children enrolled in the Kentucky Children’s Health Insurance Program (KCHIP). A Kick-Off Event is planned for Tuesday, November 18th at 2:00 p.m. at the Frankfort Convention Center.

Foundation launches Kentucky health data site - Oct 3rd, 2008
What are the facts, right where you live? The Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky has launched www.kentuckyhealthfacts.org, a new website to help you find out. The website provides local leaders, advocates and anyone who's interested with ready access to key health data for their county or ADD district.

Governor announces plan to boost KCHIP enrollment - Sep 15th, 2008
On September 3, 2008, Governor Steve Beshear announced a plan to enroll as many children as possible in the Kentucky Children's Health Insurance Program (KCHIP) by 2010. Scheduled to start November 1, the plan aims to dramatically cut the number of children without health coverage by removing barriers to enrollment, retaining more children once they are enrolled and significantly increasing education and outreach regarding the program. The goal is to enroll over 35,000 by FY2010. KCHIP provides health insurance to children whose family income is below 200 percent of the federal poverty level, about $42,400 a year for a family of four.

Health, social advocates tout big increase in cigarette tax - Feb 27th, 2008
FRANKFORT — If state lawmakers increase the cigarette tax this year, the hike should be hefty enough to reduce smoking among youth and improve health in the state, a broad group of health and social advocates said Wednesday.

Kentucky Voices for Health is backing a 70-cent increase in the state’s 30-cents-a-pack tax to be closer to the national average of $1.11 a pack....

Health Coalition Seeks Levy on Tobacco to Aid Those Without Benefits - Jan 15th, 2008
FRANKFORT -- A broad group of health advocates working for coverage of the nearly 600,000 Kentuckians without health insurance is joining the growing chorus for a higher tobacco tax. The group, known as Kentucky Voices for Health, is pushing for a higher cigarette tax to reduce smoking, particularly among youth and pregnant women, with some of the revenue used to improve the health of Kentuckians.

Tonya Chang, state director of advocacy with the American Heart Association, said at a news conference Monday in the Capitol Rotunda announcing the new group that Kentucky's cigarette tax should be close to the national average of $1.11 a pack. Kentucky's tax rate now is 30 cents a pack, among the lowest in the nation....