The results of the petition, which was co-sponsored with the Catholic Health Association, will be tabulated and provided to the news media and presidential candidates later this year. We've also worked with our chapter Governors to develop editorials supporting the campaign's themes for local newspapers. The early verdict is yes. The campaigns of both Mr. Bradley and Vice President Gore have released detailed proposals to expand coverage. And while the issue has not yet become a major theme of the Republican candidates, that is likely to change as we move closer to the general election.
Polls show that access to insurance is among the most important issues for voters.
An increasing number of organizations representing consumers, physicians, and other health professionals have endorsed the Decision 2000 campaign message. When the Decision 2000 campaign was launched last summer, there was nowhere near the level of attention being paid to the issue by the candidates, the electorate or other organizations. One of the campaign's early contributions to the debate has been to provide the candidates with a new way of looking at the uninsured, as a public health issue rather than simply an economic issue. The campaign's full effect won't be known until after the elections, and perhaps even more importantly, when the new president and Congress take office next year. All rights reserved.