Strangely, but not surprisingly, an important bill passed in the state of Massachusetts last week received relatively little media coverage. Lawmakers in that state overwhelmingly approved a bill that requires all its citizens to have some form of medical insurance. Under the new law the required funding for providing health coverage to that state’s estimated 500,000 uninsured to is to be sourced from a combination of financial incentives and penalties.

Under the law, poor people will be offered free or heavily subsidized coverage; those who can afford health insurance but refuse it will face huge tax penalties until they get coverage, and those already insured will receive a modest drop in their premiums.

What is even stranger is that Massachusetts is the first state out of 50 in these United States to require all its citizens to have health insurance. It is well reported that an increasing number of Americans are living without health coverage, and an increasing number of employers are unable to provide their employees with adequate, or any, health coverage.

Many people continue to find it difficult to believe that in this, the richest country in the world, million of citizens are living without health care, while billions of dollars are spent on fighting wars in foreign countries. Many people also wonder why individual states could not develop a plan to provide a policy of affordable health care for their citizens, instead of waiting on a federal heath insurance policy. Massachusetts has shown that this can be done.

Now, let’s look at the situation here in our own state, Florida. Right here in the English speaking Caribbean Community estimated at over 600,000 individuals, aljost half are without adequate health insurance. Daily, we receive news of the horrors that are affecting both individuals and families because of the lack of health insurance. People are suffering because they cannot afford to see a doctor, have a well-needed operation or medical procedure, or purchase vital medication.

An increasing number of people are visiting the Department of Children and Families to seek Medicaid, a program slanted towards the very poor. However, that program’s needs criteria has become so complicated that the ratio of those receiving assistance to those applying is dismal. Even when one does receive Medicaid, problems still confront one. Recipients now have to register with a managed care provider like Humana, Buena Vista or Staywell, then select a doctor that accepts Medicaid, before one can see a doctor. Have mercy! If one has a serious illness, this process takes so long that one could get much worse or even face the reality of death, before seeing a doctor.

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How can we as citizens allow this situation to continue? How can we remain in a state of apathy when Florida is about to pass a record $70 billion budget in a few weeks that virtually ignores health care for the poor? A budget that has cut $170 million dollars for the Kidcare program that provides health insurance to over 300,000 poor, uninsured children; 10,000 plus mentally retarded people are placed on waiting lists for managed health care and about 3,100 severely mentally disturbed people are to remain without managed health care?

Why is so very little attention being given by the state’s elected legislators to managed health care when it has been reported that the state is expecting to collect hundreds of millions more than expected in tax money? Why can’t a large percentage of these funds be put into a program to provide coverage on a wider bass for those who cannot afford health insurance? Or, do both Democrats and Republicans in the Florida House believe that providing more money for partial dentures, vision and hearing services for poor adults enough? What happens when these poor adults and their children suffer from diabetes, heart problems, high bold pressure, cancer and other illnesses? What do they do Mr. Governor and Mr. and Ms. Legislator?

Why is the governor contemplating cutting taxes when the health insurance program is in a mess? Cutting $74 from the tax bill of homeowners who own a $225,000 home with a homestead exemption seems commendable at first. But at a closer look, it does not really make sense with health care being as it is. Seventy-four dollars on its own cannot purchase any type of health coverage, but a fund of multiple $74 dollars can go a long way to amend the situation.

Governor Bush, you may have done a good job as Governor, but we can only give you very low marks for the attention you have paid to health insurance. We implore you to take a look at the Massachusetts bill. Your coffers are full Mr. Governor. If you really care about the state’s poor, if you really want your legacy to perpetuate for decades do something positive about health insurance for all citizens of this state before you demit office at years end. We are watching Mr. Governor and all you elected state legislators.