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Improving Health Care
Major advancements have been achieved in improving health care for New Yorkers, and the Governor has found solutions that have eluded state government for years. No state has done more to strengthen our ability to fight breast cancer, combat teen smoking and improve health care for uninsured children.
The Pataki Record on Improving Health Care:
 - Under Governor Pataki, children whose families cannot afford health insurance are receiving access to better health care than ever, through his expansion of New York's landmark Child Health Plus program. By expanding the program to young people up to and including age 19, the Governor has brought health care to over 200,000 children so far and more every day. New changes will raise that number to 450,000 before long.
- Governor Pataki's Child Health Plus program provides comprehensive health care for New York's children. Benefits include vital services like immunization's, routine check-ups, early diagnosis and treatment of health problems. And now, thanks to Governor Pataki's efforts, Child Health Plus also covers hospitilization costs.
- Child Health Plus program has been cited by Congress and the National Governors' Association as a national model for serving children without health insurance. The New York Times reported that Governor Pataki "has been in the forefront of a national push to extend health insurance to more children." The Washington Post calls it "an important laboratory" for determining whether states can help improve health care for uninsured children.
- In March 1997, Governor Pataki signed a new law that guarantees women and their doctors -- and not the insurance company or HMO -- the right to determine the appropriate length of a hospital stay after breast cancer surgery.
- A new mobile mammography program will deliver breast cancer screening to women in rural and hard-to-reach areas across New York. This will increase the number of uninsured and under-insured women who receive these important services by 50 percent.
- New York beat Congress to the punch when it came to ending "drive-thru" deliveries. Women and their new babies are guaranteed at least 48 hours of hospital care after a child's birth, and 96 hours if the birth was by cesarean section.
Additional Information
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