By Daily Press staff
A bill that would guarantee health insurance to all Californians passed a state Senate committee earlier this week.
Senate Bill 921— the Health Care for All Californians Act — passed the Senate Insurance Committee by a vote of 5-3.
The measure, sponsored by Sen. Sheila Kuehl, now moves to the Senate Health and Human Services Committee. At no new cost to the state, the bill would provide all Californians with stable and affordable access to health care at a lower cost than the premiums consumers and California employers now pay. The reform integrates current healthcare spending into a streamlined system and eliminates premiums and other out of pocket expenses, replacing them with a low percentage income and payroll tax that together are lower than average health insurance premiums.
Sen. Kuehl’s plan gives every consumer the freedom to choose their own health care provider and returns healthcare decision making to providers and consumers. The plan will feature a simple and efficient claims and reimbursement system to be administered by the state of California and overseen by an elected commissioner and statutorily limits administrative costs to 5 percent of the system budget.
The reform would create the Healthcare Fund, the Office of Medical Practice Standards, the Health Policy Board, the Office of the Consumer Advocate, and an Office of Medical Practice Standards. The plan will cover medical, dental, optical, mental health and prescription drugs services, among other healthcare services.
“Steeply rising health insurance costs are outpacing the ability of consumers to afford secure high quality health care,” said Kuehl, who represents Santa Monica in Sacramento. “A single-payer health care system that deals with the administrative waste in our system will help all Californians and all employers.”
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on May 10, 2003. Read the original PDF.