[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Ben Malley

The fight for a single-payer universal healthcare system continued yesterday outside of Moscone Center. Inside was the conference of America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), a lobbying group of more than 1,300 private health insurance companies. In 2006, the organization spent more than $7 million on lobbying efforts. Outside, more than 1,000 people voiced support of State Senator Sheila Kuehl’s SB 840 and Congressman John Conyers’ HR 676, both of which would establish single-payer healthcare.

Also inside was Terry McAuliffe. The former Democratic National Committee (DNC) chair and most recently former campaign manager for Hillary Clinton’s 2008 presidential run, spoke between 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. His topic: Decision 2008: The Politics of Healthcare.

A sampling of other speakers at the event included such infamous notables as former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, former counselor to President Bush, Dan Bartlett (who spoke alongside McAuliffe) and former Health and Human Services secretary under the Bush Administration, Tommy Thompson.

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

•SB1522 to ban junk insurance passes Assembly Health Committee
•AB1945 would impose new rules on insurers who cancel insurance policies
•AB2967 to collect cost and quality data from medical providers passes

By Hanh Kim Quach
Health Care Policy Coordinator
Health Access California

Key bills of interest to health advocates were heard in the last two days, in, respectively, the Assembly Health Committee, chaired by Assemblymember Mervyn Dymally, and Senate Health Committee, chaired by Senator Sheila Kuehl.

Hundreds of bills that passed the house where they were introduced must now clear the second house; and the first step of that is to pass policy committees by June 27. A number of bills that would benefit health care consumers were in Assembly and Senate Health committees this week, including a number of key bills that would lay the foundation for comprehensive health reform in the next couple of years. An updated list of bills is available on the Health Access website.

by Robert in Monterey [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

by Bob Brigham [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

by Lucas O'Connor [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

I'll let folks draw their own conclusions and pick their own fights for the most part, but I thought this poll was pretty interesting (favorable/unfavorable/net):

California Nurses Association/Nurses: 53/15/+35

California Hospital Assn./Hospitals: 33/30/+3

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger: 40/40/0

Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez: 20/29/-8

Chamber of Commerce/Business Groups: 25/36/-11

News Media: 28/46/-18%

Republican State Legislative Leaders: 22/48/-26

Health Insurance Companies: 16/55/-39

I will throw a few rather obvious ones out along with one that may be less so. One- people don't care much for politicians. Two- they care even less for the media, which is interesting as the media keeps cutting back on news coverage. Three- they HATE insurance companies, which makes me wonder why anyone keeps trying to keep them in the equation.

Also, CNA's numbers are pretty darn impressive. Some of that is that people just like nurses I would imagine. But average Californian on the street, if they have an actual opinion of CNA proper, it's likely to be an opinion on single-payer. Which makes me think that, given the opportunity, people might be pretty supportive of single-payer.

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Frank D. Russo

The California Field Poll just released a 39 page survey that should provide ammunition for those who want to reform the state’s health care/health insurance system. As is usual, the devil is in the details—and there are lot here—for proponents of various programs to crow about and spin.

One thing comes through loud and clear: California voters are concerned about California’s failure to enact health care reform this year. They are very concerned about their own status—losing health care coverage, being unable to pay medical bills, employers cutting back the amount they pay for health insurance, and cancellations by insurance carriers because of health conditions. And, in response to a number of separate questions, they overwhelmingly support reforms, including requiring health insurance companies to offer coverage without regard to health conditions, extending health insurance to Californians who do not have it, and other reforms. They expect the current system to worsen in the next 5 years.

by Brian Leubitz [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

Field released a poll on the California healthcare siuation. PDF available here. It focuses on the failed plan from the Governor and Speaker last year.  That's all well and good, and I respect Field enormously, but how can you release a poll without asking a question about single payer? I understand this is a highly complicated question that is tough to explain within a few sentences for a poll, but why is it that we can't get a decent poll in the state on single payer?

The results of the actual questions are quite interesting, and indicate a real consensus for reform, but it seems the policy details are still murky for many Californians.  Some bright points on said consensus include the series questions asking about proposed reforms. Specifically, 74% of Californians favor requiring health insurance companies to offer coverage to everyone without regard to their health condition and 77% favor providing state subsidized health insurance to low income adults.  Of course, there is a bit of interpretation in that last question, as that could just indicate support of Medi-Cal if the question is not clear.