“Each of these bills will help Californians as they battle to keep healthcare coverage affordable. Most importantly, they will bring services to communities that lack medical attention today,” stated De La Torre. “Maintaining access to health services makes sense on both a policy and fiscal level.”

AB 256 (School Employees Healthcare Pool)

This bill requires CalPERS to examine the costs, cost savings, benefits and drawbacks of creating a single statewide healthcare pool that would cover all public school employees in the state. The study may give school districts an alternative to protect precious education dollars. In 2003-2004, health care premiums for school employees went up on average 13.4 percent. Increases in rural areas were approximately 5 percent greater.

“AB 256 will provide our local schools the roadmap to help save them critically needed funding for our classrooms, while providing health care to their employees,” concluded De La Torre.

AB 327 (Physician Loan Repayment Program)

The bill allows physicians to make a voluntary $50 contribution for the Steven M. Thompson Physician Corps Loan Repayment Program upon the renewal of their license to practice in California. The option to pay the voluntary contribution will appear on the medical license renewal application.

The existing program provides loan repayments of up to $105,000 per physician committed to work in a medically underserved area for at least three years. There are now more than 50 physicians serving in the program in communities throughout the state, including the City of Bell Gardens, Pacoima, and Watts.

“This vital program increases access to needed medical care," said De La Torre. "Physicians can practice in a community that needs them without worrying about overwhelming student loans that are estimated to average over $100,000.”

AB 1735 (MediCal Provider Rate Protection)

The bill prevents the Department of Health Services from retroactively reducing Medi-Cal provider reimbursement rates by 5 percent for services provided between January 1, 2004 and December 31, 2005.

"AB 1735 is necessary to maintain patient access to Medi-Cal providers," said De La Torre. "We already know that current low rates of reimbursement are limiting the level of health services received by people in need. It is common sense that people ought to be able to visit their doctor for preventative services instead of an emergency room."