The California Health Insurance Reliability Act (SB 840),
currently in the California State Senate, seeks to provide
universal health care coverage for individuals residing in
California.
Over 6 million people in California, of which as many as 80
percent are employed, live without health insurance.
Currently, California law provides health services for people
with various eligibility requirements, such as low-income. But
programs like Healthy Families and MediCal only benefit a small
portion of Californians. The rest of the population not receiving
public medical assistance must face the quickly-rising cost of
insurance premiums.
Universal health care coverage in California will ensure that
all individuals living in the state for more than 90 days have
health coverage.
The California Health Insurance Reliability Act utilizes a
publicly-funded, single-payer health care model. Under this act,
the newly created California Health Insurance Agency will negotiate
to get set fees for health care services provided through the
system.
Health care services covered under this new system include
hospital, medical, surgical, and mental health; dental and vision
care; prescription drugs and medical equipment, such as hearing
aids; emergency care, including ambulance services; nursing care
after hospitalization; substance abuse recovery programs; health
education and translation services; transportation to access
covered services; diagnostic testing; and hospice care.
Additionally, all Californians will have the freedom to choose
their own primary care provider.
The proposed system will not result in new spending in the short
term but will be paid for by money already being spent on health
care and by insurance premiums.
By consolidating the functions of many insurance companies into
one comprehensive plan, billions of dollars will be saved every
year.
According to the Lewin Group Study, after health care is made
available to the currently uninsured, the net savings for the state
will be approximately $8 billion. These savings, resulting from the
state’s enormous purchasing power to buy pharmaceuticals and
medical equipment at discounted rates, administrative
simplification, and the wider availability of primary care and
preventive care will increase the funds that can be spent on
universal health care.
The California Health Insurance Reliability Act provides for
high quality and efficient health care delivery. Included among
those supporting the creation of single-payer universal health care
are the American Medical Student Association at the David Geffen
School of Medicine at UCLA, which is planning a lobby day to
support the bill in Sacramento.
The Health Insurance Reliability Act requires a majority vote to
pass in the Senate, a vote that will take place early this winter.
With the passing of this act, individuals and families will be able
to meet their basic health care needs.
Jeffrey and Johnson are both second-year medical students at
the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.