State Senate Bill 921, authored by State Sen. Sheila Kuehl (D-Santa Monica) to provide comprehensive health benefits to every Californian at no new cost to the state’s general fund, will be up for consideration in the State Assembly next year after having been passed by the State Senate.
According to Kuehl, the bill would create a single, streamlined reimbursement system for medical care in California and is projected to save the state about $14 billion in administrative health care costs. It is supposed to insure every California resident with a comprehensive health plan that would include medical, dental, vision, mental health and prescription drug coverage.
Because the bill would cover every Californian, it is touted as offering each patient the freedom to chose among all health care providers. The legislation also would mandate that California government use its purchasing power to negotiate directly with pharmaceutical companies to buy prescription drugs in bulk thus, drastically lowering their cost.
“The more that people know that this bill offers freedom of choice along with comprehensive health benefits and will not burden California’s general fund, the more support we gain for it,” Kuehl said. “I’m confident that the people of California and their representatives in the legislature will continue to see the necessity for this reform.”
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on July 11, 2003. Read the original PDF.