To give potentially vulnerable children a “healthy start,” Gov. Michael S. Dukakis last week proposed a $100-million program to provide medical care for uninsured pregnant women.
The proposal advanced by the Democratic Presidential nominee would cover prenatal care, nutrition, and hospitalization costs for women not covered by Medicaid or private insurance and would improve the availability of children’s vaccines.
Mr. Dukakis said the $100-million investment would yield significant savings in medical costs by reducing the number of premature infants.
He said a similar program in Massachusetts had helped to reduce infant mortality in the state.
Citing budget cuts in preventative health-care programs since 1980, Mr. Dukakis said the Reagan-Bush Administration “has ignored the proven cost-effectiveness of early prenatal care."--dg
