THE GREEN PARTY OF CALIFORNIA
www.cagreens.org
Thursday, July 7, 2005
Contact: Sara Amir, spokesperson 310.270.7106 saraamir@earthlink.net
Beth Moore Haines, spokesperson 530.277.0610 beth@ncws.com
SACRAMENTO (July 7, 2005) - Citing the
"health of all Californians," the Green Party of California
today applauded the passage this week by a key Assembly committee of
legislation to create a universal health care system - but warned
"greedy" special interests are trying to kill the bill.
SB 840, the California Health Insurance
Reliability Act (CHIRA) by Sen. Sheila Kuehl (D-Los Angeles), survived
the Assembly Health Committee on a 9-4 vote and now moves to the full
Assembly for a vote. It earlier passed the Senate.
"One in five Californians are now uninsured.
The Green Party for years has urged Democrats and Republicans to
approve legislation such as this. Everyone's health depends on its
final passage," said Beth Moore Haines, spokesperson for the GPCA.
Moore Haines - who said Greens are holding
community forums to help build support for the bill - warned powerful
business special interests are aiming to derail the legislation.
"We understand there is a move by greedy
special interests to call in special favors of lawmakers they have
supported financially to scuttle this measure in favor of
corporations, not people. This cannot be allowed to happen," she
said.
The measure would allow every Californian to pay
an annual means-based premium for all coverage, including medical,
dental, vision, prescription drug, hospitalization and emergency
coverage, instead of the current, insurance-based system which is
costing more each year but providing less coverage.
SB 840 enables the State of California to utilize
its full purchasing power to negotiate bulk discounts for prescription
drugs and durable medical equipment like all other industrial
countries. Medical care, retail pharmacy sales and other health care
delivery services would remain private.
An analysis from the independent Lewin Group
concluded Sen. Kuehl's plan would afford residents comprehensive,
affordable insurance and still save California $8 billion the first
year and $344 billion over 10 years.
