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• Health Care — 96% of Vermont’s children have health care coverage thanks in part to Governor Dean’s Dr. Dynasaur program, and an additional 3% are eligible for coverage. • Access — Governor Dean expanded health care for children in low to middle income families. Children 18 or under, whose families are at or below 300% of the Federal Poverty Line, are eligible for insurance at virtually no cost. • MentalHealth — In 1997, Howard Dean signed the what was then and still is the most comprehensive behavioral health care parity legislation in the United States. Comprehensive parity simply means that health insurance companies must provide the same degrees and types of coverage for mental illness and substance-abuse treatment that they provide for physical conditions. • Women’s Health — During Governor Dean’s tenure, the breast and cervical cancer rate went from slightly above average to below the US average, thanks to Vermont’s comprehensive screening system. Vermont’s Medicaid program was also expanded to cover treatment for women diagnosed with breast and cervical cancer. • Teen Pregnancy — Under Governor Dean, teen pregnancy rates dropped 49%, to the lowest rate in the country. • “Healthy Families Visionary Leadership Award” — Presented by Prevent Child Abuse America. • Success By Six — As a doctor, Governor Dean has placed a strong emphasis on early childhood prevention and health care, which is why 89% of pregnant Vermont women enter prenatal care in the first trimester of pregnancy. In Vermont, 91% of families with a birth received a community visit, and those parents who wanted assistance and support received it. • Dr. Dynasaur — Governor Dean has expanded children and pregnant women’s access to health care. Currently 58,903 children are covered under the program. Dr. Dynasaur covers children up to the age of 18 within families up to 300% of the Federal Poverty Line. • Child Abuse — During Governor Dean’s tenure, Vermont was the first state to institute a statewide protocol for abuse investigations. In return, Vermont saw a 45% decline in physical and sexual abuse of children. This included a 64% decline in physical abuse victims ages 0-3 and a 43% decline in physical abuse victims ages 0-6. • Child Sexual Abuse — 84% decline in sexual abuse victims ages 0-3 and 70% decline in sexual abuse victims ages 0-6. • Immunization — 81.1% of children are fully immunized by age 2 and 97% by the time they start kindergarten, which makes Vermont second in the nation in child immunizations. “We can provide higher quality of life by avoiding institutional services whenever possible.” • Prescription Drugs — Governor Dean understands the importance of access to prescription drugs in preserving the health and avoiding unnecessary institutional care of our seniors and people with disabilities. While in office Governor Dean expanded pharmaceutical assistance to these Vermonters. Vermont has three pharmacy assistance programs with the level of benefits for each program indexed to household income. Seniors and people with disabilities can have incomes up to 225% of the federal poverty line and receive assistance with their prescriptions. • Nursing Homes — Governor Dean decreased the state’s reliance on nursing homes by mandating that funds be shifted from nursing homes to other services, such as home health care where people can live with independence and dignity. Over $30 million dollars has been shifted from paying for nursing homes to paying for in-home and community based services. • Home Health Care — Between 1996 and 2000, there was a 161.3% increase in individuals receiving a home based waiver and services, while there was a decrease of 13.5% of individuals living in nursing homes.
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