{news} Single payer health care passes Ca SENATE

[Green Party-CT]

Senator Sheila Kuehl
> 08/28/06
> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
>
> KUEHL'S HEALTHCARE BILL, SB 840, PASSES CALIFORNIA ASSEMBLY
>
> On Monday, August 28th, Senate Bill 840, authored by State Senator 
Sheila 
> Kuehl (D-23), passed out of the California State Assembly on a 
preliminary 
> vote of 43-30 (final vote expected to be 44-31).
>
> SB 840 provides a concrete plan for covering every California 
resident 
> with comprehensive health insurance, saves the state of California, 
> businesses and working families nearly $8 billion in the first year, 
and 
> guarantees our right to choose our own doctor. The bill will now 
return to 
> the State Senate for concurrence and is expected to reach the 
Governor's 
> desk by September 1st.
>
> SB 840 provides comprehensive medical, dental, vision, 
hospitalization and 
> prescription drug coverage to every California resident. This broad 
> coverage is made possible through a streamlined claims and 
reimbursement 
> system that is projected to save billions of dollars in 
administrative 
> costs. SB 840 allows California to use its purchasing power to 
negotiate 
> bulk rates for prescription drugs and durable medical equipment, such 
as 
> wheelchairs, thus realizing an additional $2 billion in savings, SB 
840 
> preserves the status of healthcare providers, hospitals and 
pharmacies as 
> private, competitive businesses.
>
> The plan is funded by drawing in current public spending and 
replacing all 
> premiums, co-pays and deductibles paid to insurance companies with 
> premiums paid to the system. As amended, the bill creates a blue 
ribbon 
> panel of health, finance and technical experts to lay out the 
mechanics 
> for an affordable premium structure using information gathered in 
> available funding studies.
>
> "The growing cost of health insurance is bankrupting our businesses 
and 
> working families. Our health care system is being decimated to pay 
for 
> insurance company waste", says State Senator Kuehl. "SB 840 is the 
right 
> solution for California's broken health care system. It covers 
everyone, 
> it contains costs and it improves quality - most important, it 
guarantees 
> your right to choose your own doctor."
>
> "This plan provides security and savings to every California family, 
helps 
> businesses by reducing their health insurance costs, and saves the 
state 
> almost a billion dollars", said Speaker Fabian Nunez. "The Governor 
should 
> sign this historic bill."
>
> "Right now we have a broken system that leaves too many Californians 
in 
> medical or financial jeopardy and a system that hinders economic 
growth", 
> said President Pro Tem Senator Don Perata. "SB 840 is responsible, 
it's 
> achievable and it's what we need to do to fix the health care system 
in 
> California."
>
> (Comment: SB 840 has already been passed by the California State 
Senate. 
> It will return there for concurrence in an amendment calling for a 
> commission to establish the mechanics of a premium structure, and 
then 
> will move on to Gov. Schwarzenegger's desk.)
>
>
> >
>
> -- 
> 


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    Tim McKee cell (860) 778-1304 or (860) 643-2282 Cliff Thornton for Governor- Campaign Manager-
    National Committee Member of the Green Party(Connecticut)


  Paid for by Thornton For Governor ,Donna Byrne-McKee, treasurer-   www.VoteThornton.com
  email: info at votethornton.com
   
   



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