California Universal Health Care Coverage: 2023 Renewed Fight for Affordable Health Care

Commentary By
Terry P Rodriguez
PCDCC Legislation Committee Chair

Universal Health Care is back in the conversation under two recently introduced legislative measures in the current California Legislative session.
 
California Legislation AB 1690 Universal Health Care Coverage was officially introduced by Democratic Assemblyman Ash Kalra on February 17, 2023. During the last legislation session, he was the author of AB 1400 California Guaranteed Health-Care for All Act.  Currently, this legislation is designated as a spot bill.  It is pending inclusion of specifics on the program as it is stated on the California State Legislation website, as follows: 

           “It is the intent of the Legislature to guarantee accessible, affordable, equitable,

            and high-quality health care for all Californians through a comprehensive

            universal single-payer health care program that benefits every resident of the state.”[1]

 Activist groups in support of AB 1690 will chime in with facts on what should be included in the measure.  How will it benefit those in need of affordable medical insurance?  And how will these groups promote its passage?  Leading the way is the National Nurses United under the banner CalCare. In preparation to renew this effort from the very start of this legislation season, the organization wasted no time in presenting their “Building the Movement for CalCare in 2023:  Our 5 Part Plan.”[2]

 

SB 770 Health Care: Unified Health Care Financing, introduced on February 17, 2023, by State Senator Scott Weiner, addresses the budget issue which prevented the advancement of AB 1400 during the last State legislation session.  The organization, Healthy California Now, advocates the need to “work out policy difference and establish a coordinated effort between the Governor, legislature, advocates, and funders to produce an ‘actionable’ package of policy proposals in accordance with a waiver framework the Biden Administration will support …in 2024.” They argue that SB 770 provides a process for accomplishing this goal.  Most importantly, it requires the Secretary of the California Health and Human Services (HHS) Agency to enter into waiver discussion with the federal Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services to create a “unified healthcare financing system.”  Additionally, it requires that HHS report its progress to the State Legislatures Health Committees and make its final recommendations by June 1, 2024.[3]

 

The most important aspect of these measures is how will this benefit those in need of adequate health care coverage?  What services will it cover?  What is the quality of medical care offered?  Is it a full service offering or is it limited compared to other plans?  Will there be a state government budget making it affordable to the consumer without increased cost to the taxpayers?  And will the final package be enough to motivate our state legislature to act on it? These are questions awaiting answers from our representatives.

 

There will be challenges during this current legislative season to create a universal health care structure, and a financial budget in supporting it.  The PCDCC Legislation Committee will follow the progress.  At some point, we will arrive at a moment when we have enough information to consider advocating support.  In the meantime, consumer and health care activists’ input is important to this process.  And it is important we follow these legislations, provide support to organizations promoting the measures, and voice our opinions.

[1] California Legislation Information, AB-1690 Universal Health Care Coverage,                https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240AB1690, (accessed April     18, 2023).

[2] Nurses Campaign for Medicare for All, Building the Movement for CalCare in 2023:  Our5 Part Plan,                https://medicareforall.medium.com/building-the-movement-for-calcare-in-2023-our-5-part-          plan-4ab5682cc9e1, February 27, 2023 (Accessed April 20, 2023).

[3] Healthy California Now, Guaranteed Healthcare in California:  Better Care at Lower Cost,                https://healthyca.org/guaranteed-healthcare-in-california-better-care-at-lower-cost/. March 23, 2023               (Accessed April 20, 2023).