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Saint Louis City, MO August 5, 2008 Election
Smart Voter

Public Health

By Joseph "Joe" Palm

Candidate for State Representative; District 57; Democratic Party

This information is provided by the candidate
Healthcare for all, and for all good health. There are few things in life more important than having good health.
I am a firm believer that all people are entitled to equal and effective health care. However, due to growing numbers of uninsured and underinsured individuals as a result of rising private health insurance premiums and dwindling resources for government-sponsored health programs, many individuals in our community do not have access to such care. This can have dire health consequences, since it often means that an individual forgoes preventive medical care that can lead to early detection of major illnesses, or worse, forgoes necessary ongoing care for an existing major condition, which can cause fatalities. It can also be costly financially for those that have limited or no insurance that still seek care, since medical costs continue to rise.

Health care and the problems that plague it have been major concerns of mine for most of my life. In fact, this was one of the primary reasons that I obtained my Master's Degree in Public Health and why I accepted an appointment to the Council on Adolescent and School Heath (CASH) within the Missouri Department for Health and Senior Services. The problems facing the medically uninsured and underinsured individuals in our communities make it essential that we as elected officials work together to find viable solutions. I intend to promote legislation that will aid in improving access to health care for all citizens. I also intend to promote initiatives to eliminate racial and economic disparities by advocating improved health education and prevention services.

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