Davis Pledges Healthy Families Expansion in State of the State Speech

Gov. Gray Davis (D) delivered his third State of the State address last night, calling for the expansion of Healthy Families to cover parents of enrolled children, the Los Angeles Times reports. The expansion would provide benefits for 290,000 "low-income working parents" (Morain, Los Angeles Times, 1/9). Currently, 375,000 children are enrolled in the program (Lawrence, AP/Orange County Register, 1/9). Pointing out that Healthy Families' enrollment has increased "12-fold" since his election two years ago, Davis said: "This expansion in Healthy Families combined with a strong economy has produced another piece of good news. Tonight I'm pleased to announce the first real decrease in the number of uninsured Californians in at least two decades. In a single year, we moved 500,000 Californians to the ranks of the insured." However, he added that the job of expanding enrollment is "not done." Davis continued: "It's time to recognize that a 'Healthy Family' is more than healthy children. It's healthy mothers and fathers, too. I have already requested a federal waiver that will allow California to become only the fourth state in the nation to include parents in this program" (Davis speech text, AP/Los Angeles Times, 1/9). The Fresno Bee reports that Davis' expansion proposal was "met enthusiastically" by state lawmakers. Assembly member Mike Briggs (R-Clovis) noted that a "disproportionate number" of the uninsured reside between Fresno and Bakersfield (Maxwell, Fresno Bee, 1/9).