By Chauncey Bailey

At a recent forum called “Who’s Got You Covered?” many of California’s most
powerful elected officials came to Oakland City Hall to discuss the state of health
care reforms with Mayor Ron Dellums, health care providers and concerned
residents.

Dellums has heard from his 84-member Health Task Force, which has made numerous
recommendations including “100 new points of access for health care” in Oakland,
expanded and better mental health services, a Healthy Community Bill of Rights, an
inventory of health care resources and a dialogue with uninsured persons to find ways to
match their needs with resources.

Assemblywoman Loni Hancock (D-Berkeley) convened the forum. “We are at an
historical time,” she said. “Too many people are uninsured or underinsured. They are not
getting the care they need before they have to show up at an emergency room. People
call my office who need help with their health care plan, even the insured. There are a
number of plans to improve health care in the state. I want to make sure people know
what the choices are.”

Hancock said a proposal by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to insure all children in
California “doesn’t add up ... it assumes we are going to get money from the federal
government that we will not likely get ... and it doesn’t cover primary care or prevention,
but it’s a start.”

Senate President pro Tem Don Perata and Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez also
attended the meeting with residents and union members, and the legislators have their
own plans for health care reform.

Assemblyman Mervyn Dymally (D-Los Angeles) said, “This is part of a campaign to
elevate the discussion of health care, and it’s one of many summits being held [in the
state].” Dymally, who is chairman of the State Legislative Black Caucus, said he is also
concerned about racial disparities in access to health care.

Assemblyman Sandré Swanson (D-Oakland) said, “I’m excited that health care is on
the front burner of these legislative agendas. This is the most critical human rights issue
of our time. This is a federal issue, but there has to be leadership, and California is trying
to show leadership and by example lead a federal policy that covers everyone. It has to
start somewhere.”

David Kears, director of Alameda County Heath Care Services, said, “My primary focus
is the low-income population and how these plans address their needs.”

Dr. Tony Iton, director of the Alameda County Department of Public Health, urged the
public to support the passage of Senate Bill 840, which would establish “a single payer
system in the state for uninsured.” He called the measure “equitable and sensible.” But
there is opposition from insurance companies, he said.

Nunez said 6.5 million in California don’t have access to health care “and most are
poor working families ... the key is we need to [reach] all children 18 years and younger
who are not covered and expand coverage to those that don’t have it ... that’s 800,000
children.”

Many union members said they support universal health care.

Dellums said, “Health care is a major and significant crisis in this country, and we must
join together to bring health care to this community.”

Swanson said with 50 million Americans now uninsured, “health care is a moral
challenge, and we must take advantage of this opportunity.”

State Democrats are hoping to come up with one plan.

State Senator Sheila Kuehl (D-Santa Monica) has a plan that would stop $20 billion
wasted now by the current health care system, according to Donna Gerber, director of
government relations for the California Nurses Association. Her plan is being embraced
by many union leaders.

The Nunez proposal would ask businesses to pay for most health care costs, and
people needing coverage would pay the remainder.

The Perata plan would require everyone to have insurance, which they would either
pay for directly from companies or the government.

Nunez said, “The goal is universal health care,” but small steps are needed in light of
political realities.