Childhood obesity and the rampant spread of diet related diseases to our nations young people should be the number one concern in America today. We must take a stand to save the next generation. This dietary change could serve to reduce the cost to the public for completely preventable diet related diseases.

The federal government has been using their drug laws to supercede state law.The citizens of many states have voted to make medical marijuana legal and yet the feds are confiscating medicine ,seizing everything with their abuse of the civil asset forfeiture law and even jailing people who can not afford the expensive lawyers to defend themselves.Enough is enough,its time for the state to step up and protect its citizens by establishing definite regulations which will protect those involved with the growing ,transfer and distribution of medical marijuana.

We need state-run healthcare systems.

The Sandy Hook shooting stirred a discussion about mental health care. I have been a social worker for 13 years. I have worked in agencies over the years with clients facing serious life challenges such as trauma history, intellectual or physical disabilities, poverty, and mental illness. In some settings, the work can be rewarding but high stress, and the funding is low. We need to keep turnover low for people working in social service agencies. This is how we can value the people for whom social workers and social service agencies are providing care.

Restoration of reasonable and appropriate third-party payments for out-of-network services is essential to the economic, psychological and physical well-being of many NYS consumers, and to the adequate provision of important healthcare services by numerous providers, such as physicians, psychologists, social workers, nurse-practitioners and physical therapists.

Employers and health-insurance companies are increasingly withholding coverage for out-of-network healthcare services. Current options are increasingly limited to HMO plans and PPOs with dauntingly high out-of-network deductibles. Please help restore the freedom of practitioners to provide, and consumers to receive, a full range of treatment options in a manner which is economically feasible for both. Deprivation of such options can often seriously undermine psychological well-being, physical health, and in some cases, survival itself.

Solving the Health Care Problem in 10 Years. US Doctors have a monopoly on health care. Best union in the world increasing costs and decreasing care. Have government train doctors and nurses similar to program in armed forces. Make public service mandatory for a period of 10 years after becoming licensed physician.

Put a check-box on the personal tax return to place a nominal ($3.00?) dollar amount for funding Planned Parenthood.

Legalize what is needed & utilized by many in ID.

Recently I had to get insurance companies approve drugs I was already taking.

As you know, there are many elderly and poor citizens who are unable to afford health care. Our president has provided measures for the states to accommodate those less fortunate than you and I. Please, Govenor Bentley and legislature, reconsider your decision not support the President's effort to provide health care for everyone in the State of Alabama.

Every day we are being reminded about the dire state of mental health in our country. Mental health hospitals, services in schools, aftercare facilities, and rehabs have all had funding cut and this trend must stop. As a counselor in Texas, every day I work with clients that need more care than is currently available for them. Why spend more money? The key here is actually we would save more money in the long run. People who are in crisis often get sent to hospitals and then mental health hospitals. The hospitals try to help get these people in and out as quickly as possible because funding and the number of beds are inadequate. Many times these people are then released back to the community with little or no support and they go into crisis again and potentially take their own life and possibly others as well. This means increased costs by another trip in an ambulance, police support, ICU, and another stay at a mental health hospital. How do we stop this? Other states and countries have helped curb this cycle by thoroughly revamping their mental health systems. One vital piece that would help Texas is aftercare facilities for those who recently are released from the hospitals. This would give them a place to recover, adjust to medications, and be in a place where they can be monitored and supported as a medical and therapy team works to correct what has been going wrong. More funding would also aid to help those agencies that help to support those in need before they go into crisis. The State of California has found that for every $1 they spent on rehabilitation facilities, they saved $7 in incarceration costs. So, sign here to help save Texas money, to help save the lives of Texans in need, and to help mental health be a top priority!