[It doesn't mean that it is over, it's another step in the process. Keep calling your Senator and Assemblyperson]
By Anthony Wright
Executive Director of Health Access California
Tuesday was the last day for Senate health-related bills (aimed to be passed in 2007) to be heard in Assembly Health Committee. The Committee heard testimony into the evening.
SB840: First among the bills considered was SB 840, Sen. Shiela Kuehl’s universal, single-payer health reform measure. “If you don’t have single payer, someone is going to get left behind,’’ said Kuehl, in calling on lawmakers to support her legislation.
IN SUPPORT: The Assembly Health Committee approved SB840, but not before the regular stampede of dozens of organizations showed up to support the bill.
Of the many organizations that mentioned their support for SB840 were: California Nurses Association, Western Center on Law and Poverty, Health Access California, California School Employees Association, California Physicians Alliance, City of Berkeley, California Catholic Conference, California Labor Federation, Congress of California Seniors, Gray Panthers, Service Employees International Union, California Faculty Association, Planned Parenthood, Consumer Federation of California, California Federation of Teachers, California Association of Retired Americans, California Professional Firefighters, Health Care for All, California Primary Care Association, United Nurses – AFSCME, Consumers Union, California Senior Legislature, Friends Committee on Legislation, Senior Action Network, United Food and Commercial Worker retirees, Breast Cancer Action, American Association of University Women, California Foundation for Independent Living Centers, Richmond Commission on Aging, City of Berkeley, Wellstone Democratic Club, League of Women Voters, California Teachers Association, Latino Coalition for a Healthy California, California Commission on the Status of Women, CalPIRG, American Medical Students Association, Green Party, and consumers who said they were victims of “insurance company malfeasance.’'
One poignant testimony came from a cancer patient who was about to have her short-term policy run out, and was being denied renewal of that policy, given her condition.
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