PRINTER'S NO. 1611
No. 269 Session of 2004
INTRODUCED BY SCHWARTZ, HUGHES, MELLOW, FERLO, KUKOVICH, MOWERY,
ERICKSON, STOUT, ORIE, COSTA, O'PAKE, LOGAN, FUMO, WAGNER,
KITCHEN, TARTAGLIONE, KASUNIC, CONTI, ARMSTRONG AND STACK,
MAY 10, 2004
INTRODUCED AND ADOPTED, MAY 10, 2004
A RESOLUTION
1 Recognizing the week of May 10 through 16, 2004, as "Cover the
2 Uninsured Week" in Pennsylvania and encouraging
3 Pennsylvanians to do all they can to understand the
4 implications and ramifications of this issue.
5 WHEREAS, The latest census data have revealed that in 2002
6 there were 44 million Americans without health insurance and
7 1.38 million uninsured Pennsylvanians; and
8 WHEREAS, Eight out of ten uninsured Americans are in working
9 families that cannot afford health insurance; and
10 WHEREAS, Lack of health insurance contributes to people
11 living sicker and dying younger, as indicated by the following
12 statistics:
13 (1) Uninsured women who develop breast cancer are twice
14 as likely to die from it than women with health insurance.
15 (2) Uninsured men are nearly twice as likely to be
16 diagnosed with colon cancer in a terminal stage than insured
17 men.
18 (3) Uninsured children are 1.5 times more likely to go
1 without recommended immunizations, 4 times more likely to go
2 without needed medical or surgical care, 4.5 times more
3 likely to go without needed prescription medicines and
4 eyeglasses and 5 times more likely to go without dental care
5 than children who are covered by health insurance;
6 and
7 WHEREAS, The number of Americans without health insurance is
8 rising as the cost of health care rises; and
9 WHEREAS, Providing health insurance to the uninsured is one
10 of America's biggest health challenges; and
11 WHEREAS, Reversing a disturbing trend, elevating health
12 insurance coverage on national and local agendas and creating an
13 environment in which action and reform are required are the
14 goals of "Covering the Uninsured Week" this year; therefore be
15 it
16 RESOLVED, That the Senate recognize the week of May 10
17 through 16, 2004, as "Cover the Uninsured Week" in Pennsylvania
18 and encourage Pennsylvanians to do all they can to understand
19 the implications and ramifications of this issue.
E3L82JS/20040S0269R1611 - 2 -