SACRAMENTO – Passage by the Assembly and Senate today of comprehensive healthcare reform legislation was hailed by Assemblymember Assembly Member Anna Caballero.  “This is a historic moment in California’s history,” Caballero said. 

“Everywhere I went in the district last month, people talked to me about how important it is for the Legislature to pass a reform bill that broadens and protects health coverage for more children and families,” said Caballero.  “My office was flooded with requests for reform, and I’m certain that happened in other legislative offices as well.

“This bill responds directly to that urgent need.”

The healthcare reform legislation, Assembly Bill 8, was authored by Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez, D-Los Angeles, and Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata, D-Oakland.  AB 8 passed the Assembly 45-31 and the Senate 22-17.

The bill would expand health insurance to more than two-thirds of Californians now uninsured.  AB 8 would also insure all children and significantly improve existing cost control mechanisms.

“AB 8 involves a shared responsibility between employers, employees and, where necessary, the state,” Assembly Member Caballero observed.  She called the legislation a bold action plan for healthcare reform providing for subsidies for low income families, limits on the ability of insurers to deny coverage to individuals and expansion of the Healthy Families Act. In addition, Caballero pointed out, AB 8 mandates that 85 cents on every premium dollar go to health care and the bill also simplifies benefit choices.  Further, AB 8 would require most employers to offer health insurance to their employees or contribute to a collective state pool for the uninsured.

The historic healthcare reform legislation, debated for nine months and subjected to numerous committee hearings, has the support of a wide ranging group of labor organizations and children’s healthcare advocates.