“Do you support a universal health plan in the state? Should every Californian be entitled to health insurance?”
Here are your responses: ■ “I assume that when you say ‘every Californian’ that you’re including illegal immigrants for this health care. I don’t think that this health care will go over like a lead balloon. An illegal immigrant is not entitled to all the benefits. They don’t pay income taxes. A lot of them work under the table. They are going to raise the income tax by 3 percent. They are going to bankrupt people out of this state. They are going to have a big mess because under this plan, no co-payments, no deductibles and no insurance premiums. People on Medicare are paying co-payments and premiums, so why should people that aren’t entitled to live here get free insurance? I would assume that there is some kind of safety net on this that would exclude illegal immigrants. I would hope so, but I sure hope that they don’t okay this plan because I think it stinks. Thanks.” ■ “Yes, I am very much in support of a universal health plan in this state, and naturally universal would mean all over the United States. I have been for universal health plan since George McGovern first promoted it and then Hillary and Bill Clinton. Lets get back behind Sheila Kuehl. It’s a great thing and its time we had it in this country. Thank you so much.” ■ “Depends on the cost. No form of insurance is inexpensive. Medicare for senior citizens, backed up with an HMO is very costly and does not cover the purchase of medicine that can cost up to $100 per pill depending on the spatial potency and purpose of that pill. Any form of universal insurance must be thought out carefully so the policy will fulfill the intended need.” ■ “No, I don’t support a universal health plan. Not everybody works. Not everybody can afford it. Except for the employees that keep their employees healthy. They should be the ones to provide the health plan coverage.” ■ “The question of do state residents deserve universal health care? Absolutely not. Are we entitled to health care? Absolutely not. We are entitled to the opportunity to earn our own money and pay for it. The idea that somehow if you are born in California or America you are entitled to health care or housing or an education — all things need to be earned. If you want an example of bad policy, look at the fact that 30 percent of Medicare and Medicaid is now spent on fraud. Enlarging that process would only lose more dollars. Possibly if we police that better, we would have more money for health care. In America you are entitled to the opportunity to create it for yourself, not for it to be delivered to you. Thank you very much.” ■ “The only people that should get health care are those that can afford to pay the doctors’ high rates themselves, out of pocket. That insurance is a big hoax designed to give anybody the right to live and receive health care, which is just abominable. If you can’t afford to pay for the drugs, the doctors and the equipment then you should move to Scandinavia or some commie country like that.” ■ “A universal health plan entitlement in California would have two consequences. One — a whole lot of new Californians, and two — a whole lot of former Californians.”
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on April 18, 2003. Read the original PDF.