Feds offer cash for health reform
Although legislative details have yet to be ironed out in Sacramento, federal officials have pledged a $3.45 billion boost to Gov. Schwarzenegger's $12 billion proposal to provide health coverage to all of California's uninsured.
The federal funding is needed to expand the state's Medi-Cal program, which is supported by state dollars matched by federal money, The Sacramento Bee reported. Schwarzenegger wants to cover the state's estimated 6.5 million uninsured using a mix of additional federal money and fees assessed on California hospitals, physicians, employers and consumers.
A number of coverage proposals are being floated in Sacramento. Their goals include reducing costs as premiums for those with health insurance rise to cover increasing numbers of uninsured.
During a panel discussion conducted March 14 by the California Hospital Association, hundreds of hospital administrators heard Republican and Democratic lawmakers praise Schwarzenegger's efforts while differing on how coverage should be provided and to whom.
Schwarzenegger believes it's far more cost effective to focus on prevention, education and fitness than to deal with illness, which is often a consequence of long-term personal neglect, said Daniel Zingale, chief of staff to first lady Maria Shriver and senior adviser to the governor.
"We have a robust economy based on a class of the working poor," said Don Perata, a Democrat and president pro tem of the state Senate. If lawmakers and others, including hospitals, don't reach a consensus on give-backs, he said, health reform will head to voters as a ballot initiative.
Dick Ackerman, Senate Republican leader, said health coverage will not be resolved by one-shot legislation and may never be resolved. He disputed calculations on the number of uninsured Californians, saying when illegal immigrants and those who choose not to be insured are removed from the equation, there are only about 1 million people who lack coverage.
In response to questions, Perata and Ackerman said there was no timeline to arrive at a proposal. The deadline for a state budget is June 15, but it has frequently been missed. The Assembly and Senate are set for summer recess on July 20.
This story was reported by John Taylor. He can be reached at jtaylor@communitymedical.org.