Looking Ahead to Wednesday's Hearing on California Health Care Bills

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Anthony Wright
Executive Director of Health Access California

Text of Legislation Including the Governor's Authorless Bill Now Available

Here's the text of the legislative leader's proposal, AB x1 1: The California Health Care Reform and Cost Control Act.

It's important to note that there are elements of what the legislative leaders put out in their framework that isn't in the bill. Some of those parts are slated to go into a separate ballot measure document; For other parts, it's simply that they didn't have the time to draft it.

The next opportunity there will be for Speaker Nunez to amend the bill will be next Wednesday, November 14th, in the Assembly Health Committee.

Also that might be heard:

The Governor's proposal, in bill form but without an author, is AB x1 2.
Republican Leader Villines' package, ironically numbered AB x1 8.

Next Year's Budget Problems Makes Health Reform Harder But More Urgent

The KQED Capitol Notes Podcast this week perhaps features the three snarkiest reporters in the Sacramento press corps, all good but perhaps more cynical than necessary.

They were skeptical of the argument, advanced by the Governor and others, that the looming budget crisis actually compels us to do health reform. He made this argument most recently at his speech at the conference Latino Coalition for a Healthy California, a member and ally.

Here, I actually agree with the Governor: the budget deficit makes health reform harder, but more urgent. It's the only way to bring in new money--including federal matching funds--into California. Obviously, it means we'll have new obligations, but without reform, we'll be looking at severe health care cuts. Health care is around one-third of the state budget--getting revenues for it helps the entire budget.

Even this year, if we don't have health reform, then this year will simply mean a step backwards on health care, with the zeroing out of fund for outreach for children's enrollment and the prescription drug discount program, and the looming SCHIP issue threatening to disenroll children from Healthy Families. The question is whether 2007 will be known for taking steps forward, or steps back.

Governor is Running Out of Reasons to Not Sign Legislative Leadership's Proposal