The Perata-Nunez Health Bill: A Bridge Between Governor Schwarzenegger and the California Legislature

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Elizabeth M. Imholz
Special ProjectsDirector
Consumers Union

Since our founding in 1936, Consumers Union has worked to attain universal, affordable, high-quality health coverage for all. Over the past year we have sought to help craft reform that would bring affordable, comprehensive health insurance coverage and high quality care to all Californians, perhaps the most important and complex policy issue facing the State of California. We supported AB 8 (Nunez), in its finally amended state. We believe that ABx1 1 provides a bridge between AB 8 and ABx1 2, the Administration’s reform proposal, and with some amendments holds the promise of creating a system that would ensure the availability of needed, affordable health care for Californians.

Our framework for evaluating any proposal for universal health reform rests on three broad principles:

• Fair, adequate financing;

• Access to comprehensive, affordable care;

• Quality, efficiency and cost control.

We find that ABx1 1 meets these principles in large measure, and focus our comments below on some remaining areas on which we seek amendments. We understand that a parallel ballot measure is needed and being drafted to secure the financing for these landmark reforms; our final support will rest on the terms of that initiative.
Specifically, Consumers Union seeks amendments to:

• add parameters for the minimum benefit required to reach the threshold for being subject to the mandate;

• clarify enforcement of the individual mandate;

• tighten some of the individual market reforms.

Fair, adequate financing