More Kentuckians are insured, protected from second-hand smoke and making healthier lifestyle choices, according to a recently released preliminary report on Gov. Steve Beshear’s kyhealthnow initiative.
The initiative was created to achieve by 2019 seven major health goals on issues ranging from insurance rates to obesity.
The Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services set the goal of reducing the state’s uninsured rate to 5 percent or less. With the implementation of Kynect and the expansion of Medicaid, Kentucky’s uninsured rate is currently 9.8 percent.
Dr. Stephanie Mayfield, the state’s public health commissioner, said she’s optimistic that the goal will be reached.
“If we continue to do what we’re currently doing, we feel that we’ll get there because in a year or so we’ve taken it down to 9.8 percent from a baseline in 2013 of 20.4 percent,” she said.
Although, the proposed smoking ban bill passed the House earlier this year, its future looks grim. And so does the future of the proposed heroin bill.
But, Mayfield said, “the session is not over yet.”