VIC Board of Directors
Endorses
(SB 921, Authored by State Senator Sheila
Kuehl)
At its regular meeting in
November 2003, the Board of Directors of San Fernando Valley Interfaith Council
(VIC) endorsed The Health Care for All Californians Act (SB 921) which would
provide health insurance coverage through private sector health care providers
to all Californians through a single insurance plan offered by the State of
California and would control the growth of health care spending through a
simplified administrative structure, consolidated financing and purchasing and
statewide health planning.
In June of this year VIC’s Social Concerns Committee
sponsored a Community Forum entitled “The Healthcare Crisis and Options for
Californians”. The forum
addressed the problems facing Californians (the uninsured, rising costs, clinic
and hospital closings, and poor health outcomes) as well as various legislative
options including Senate Bill 921, Single Payer Universal Health Care for All
Californians authored by State Senator Sheila Kuehl, Senate Bill 2 co-authored
by Senate President Pro Tem John Burton and Senator Jackie Speier and others
bills under consideration by the State legislature. The board also considered the needs of its own
employees and potential costs to VIC of the various options.
After much deliberation the board endorsed SB 921 as it is the only bill
that provides real choices for consumers among private sector providers and
comprehensive coverage for all Californians while controlling rising health care
costs. The board has made its endorsement known to our legislative
representatives and encourages congregations and other organizations to consider
the problems and options to this crisis. For additional information and linkages to speaker and
program resources call Rhetta Alexander at VIC (818/718-6460, ext. 3007), or
visit our website at www.vic-la.org.
The bill in brief from
the Health Care for All Fact Sheet (visit www.healthcareforall.org):
Universal
Coverage:
Eligibility is conferred based on residency, instead of randomly and
intermittently by employers. Residents traveling out of state are covered for up
to 90 days. California retirees with vested benefits and/or paying applicable
California health taxes are covered.
Financing: The
plan involves no new spending on health care.
The system will be financed by combining all federal, state
and county monies already spent on health care with affordable, broad-based,
earmarked state health care premiums. There
are no co-pays or deductibles for at least the first two years.
All monies to be spent on health care would be consolidated into a State
Health Fund that is established in the California Treasury.
Administrative costs for the system will be limited in statute to 5% of
the total budget and the growth in health care spending will be linked to state
GDP, population growth, technological change, employment rates and other
relevant demographic indicators.
Delivery of Care:
All California licensed and accredited providers, goupr practices, HMOs and
integrated health care systems may participate, subject to best medical practice
and cultural and linguistic standards. Residents
will choose their personal health care provider.
Services from health care specialists will require referrals. Health care
providers and facilities will choose between three reimbursement mechanisms: fee
for service, facility budgets and capitated budgets. Reimbursements will be risk
adjusted to ensure that budgets cover the true costs of care. The plan creates financial incentives for high quality care,
to encourage providers to practice in under-served areas, and to serve as
primary care providers.
Benefits:
Coverage would include all care prescribed by a patient's health care provider
that meets accepted standards of care and practice; including medical, mental
health, surgical, podiatric inpatient and outpatient services; diagnostic
testing; prescription drugs and medical equipment; dental and vision care;
hospice care; emergency care including ambulance; skilled nursing care after
hospitalization; substance abuse recovery programs, health education and
self-help programs; and translation services, including services for those with
hearing and vision impairments; transportation needed to access covered
services.
Governance:
The system would be governed by a state elected health care commissioner who
would head the California Health Care Agency. This agency would be assembled
through the consolidation of the existing healthcare agencies. The commissioner
would additionally appoint a deputy health care commissioner, the directors of
the health care fund, the consumer advocate, the chief medical officer and
members of the Medical Practice Standards Advisory Board, establish the annual
state health care budget and chair the Health Policy Board.
Transition: The
plan utilizes a two-year transition period, overseen by a transition advisory
group that will be appointed by the commissioner. The advisory group will be
composed of consumer representatives, counties, healthcare providers, experts in
health policy, finance and administration, retirement boards, businesses, labor,
as well as representatives of those state departments and agencies that might
relinquish some or all parts of their health care delivery services to the
system. The transition advisory group will also consider the feasibility of
incorporating the medical components of workers compensation and state
disability insurance into the system.