Costa speaks at Community Regional
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| Dr. Joan Voris, associate dean of UCSF Fresno, takes the podium at Rep. Jim Costa's (right) Oct. 8 press conference. Community's chief operating officer Patrick Rafferty (left) and chief executive officer Tim Joslin also attended. |
SCHIP provides health care insurance for families who do not qualify for Medicaid, but cannot afford private medical insurance. The program, set to expire Nov. 15, is funded through tobacco taxes.
“Among the 47 million Americans who do not have health insurance are children,” Costa said. “Just because they do not have health insurance does not mean they don’t get sick.”
Dr. Joan Voris, associate dean of UCSF Fresno’s medical education program and pediatric doctor at Community Regional, also spoke in support of the program.
“Children wait until their disease or illness gets so bad that they must be treated in the emergency department or be hospitalized,” Dr. Voris said.
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| Rep. Jim Costa, D-Calif., speaks to local media outside of Community Regional on Oct. 8. |
“The working poor need a safety net,” Costa said.
Costa commended Community Medical Centers as the primary health care system in the area for Valley residents and one of only five trauma and burn centers in the state.
Tim Joslin, Community’s chief executive officer, added Community spends $125 million every year in charity care. Joslin stood in support of the program with Costa and Dr. Voris.
On Oct. 3, President Bush vetoed H.R. 976, a bipartisan bill passed by Congress that would have expanded the program by $35 billion.
Costa hopes either President Bush will reconsider his veto or Congress will receive the dozen more votes it needs to override the president’s veto.
“I think there’s a good chance there will be a compromise,” Costa said. “These children’s lives literally depend on it.”
This story was reported by Millie Tang. She can be reached at mtang2@communitymedical.org.